The Return
by Sarah August
Summary: Elena was taken by Mikael as a young toddler from Mystic Falls. Over sixteen years later, the doppelganger returns, and soon learns that you cannot hide from your destiny. The Salvatores still fall for her, but soon learn how dangerous it is to love her. Can Elijah save her and show her the right path to choose? Repost, continuation.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The Return

**Summary: **Mikael found the doppelganger when she was two-years-old. Elena was raised by Mikael, who allowed all of his kind to believe the doppelganger was dead. Eighteen years later, Elena attends her senior year at Mystic Falls High School, and slowly learns who she really is. Can Elijah, Mikael's son, help?

**Notes: **This is an AU story. Same characters. Based in season 3. Elijah/Elena.

**Author:** Sarah August

**Disclaimer: **i do not own The Vampire Diaries

_"Are you Elena's mother?"_

_Miranda Gilbert looked up from the hatch of her car. Her daughter was sitting inside. They had just finished shopping for food. Grayson, her husband, was still inside the store._

_"What?" Miranda stuttered. What an odd question! _

_"I am looking for the doppelganger. I know that you have her!"_

_"No," Miranda whispered. "I have no idea what you're taking about..."_

_"I really hate it when your kind lie," Mikael glared at the young mother. _

_"Please, she's only a baby," Miranda instead pleaded. "She's ours. She was given to us, by her mother."_

_"Exactly why I am here," Mikael declared with annoyance. He then grabbed the mother by her neck, breaking it. Miranda Gilbert knew no more. _

_Mikael approched the side of the car in the vacant parking lot. There sat the small girl that he was after. Elena looked up at him with curiousity and fear. She suddenly began to cry. It was as if she could sense that her mother was no more. "Momma..." She sobbed brokenly._

_"There, little one," said Mikael, opening the door and taking the child. "You have quite the destiny ahead of you."_

_Mikael had vanished with two-year-old Elena Gilbert before her father had the chance to return to the car. _

* * *

"We're having company?" Elena said, glaring at her foster father. "When do you ever get visitors, Mikael? Let alone in our brand new home?" Teased Elena from her seat at the living room table.

"My son, Elijah, is coming," He told her polietly.

Elena imediately flushed. She had only one memory of Elijah, and she had been ten-years-old, at their house in France. He had been the most amazing vision of a man that she had ever seen. No one could compare, since then.

He had been nice and polite and she had liked him.

"When does Elijah arrive?" asked Elena in a rush. "Before I start school?"

"Yes," Mikael smiled uneasily. "Two days before."

Elena grinned.

"Elena, need I remind you of the dangers?"

"I know what he is," She said, agreeing to an old arguement.

"Then stay clear," Mikael said.

"You... you have my word," Elena promised with a scowl.

"Thank you."

Mikael then left the room. Elena then began hunting down Sophie, their maid, to tell the exact time Elijah was coming, and anything else that she could.

* * *

"I saw Katherine!"

Stefan Salvatore blinked at what his brother was saying. "What? That isn't possible, Damon!"

Stefan began pacing their living room.

"I'm telling you, Stefan..."

"No, I'm telling you, alright!" snapped Stefan. "Katherine died! We have to let her go!"

"Is that what you tell yourself when you're with Caroline?" quipped Damon, upset.

"Damon..." Stefan then stalked from the living room, upstairs to find his girlfriend.

* * *

"I can't believe him!"

"What is it?" asked Caroline, sitting on Stefan's bed.

"Katherine..." Stefan only said.

Caroline returned his gaze with sad eyes. Katherine was the one thing they hardly ever talked about. Stefan had loved her, years ago. Years and years, ago. Then he had lost her. He had her now. There was no going back.

"She's dead. She can't hurt you anymore!" spoke Caroline softly.

"No," said Stefan. "You don't know what Damon is like when it comes to her..."

Caroline moved and reached for him. "I love you, Stefan. It will be okay."

Stefan kissed the top of her head and pulled her close.

"I hope you're right!" He said into her blond hair.

* * *

The day was here, and he was entering the house. Elena had watched Elijah pull up in a limo to the house, which had been an unusual color of black. She raced to the staircase, staying at the top, carefully hidden behind a wall. She heard Elijah greet the maid, Natalia, a pretty twenty something that Mikael had brought home from Paris once.

Elena felt a wave of jealousy when it sounded as if Elijah had kissed her hand. Elena knew that these feelings were silly. She didn't even know him, having only met once.

She didn't know anyone in Mystic Falls, for that matter.

Finally, deciding she wouldn't listen to Mikael, she was going to meet Elijah, right now.

* * *

Elena, grabbing her coat, followed him out into the gardens, inbehind the house. He was staring at the lake in the center of the property, which was covered with red roses. It looked stunning to see. "Didn't Mikael ever teach you that it isn't polite to stare?"

His voice startled her. Embarressed, Elena blinked and flushed red when she realized it hadn't been just the flowers she had been staring a long time at.

He was just as beautiful as she remembered him to be. When he turned to face her, she gasped at the sight of him. Elijah had the most stunning dark colored eyes. He seemed surprised to see her as well. He knew who she was. Elena realized.

"Elena, it's good to see you, again," Elijah, his eyes suddenly bright, said with an intriged smile.

"You recognize me?" She teased with a growing smile, offering him her hand to shake. Instead, he took hold of her hand, holding it in front of him as if it was something suddenly dear. He then abruptly took it to his lips, again holding it there a long moment before pressing his lips to her flesh. It was as if he had taken the time to smell her. His lips, feeling delightfully full against her skin, pressed there, ever so gentle before drawing her hand away. Elena watched him, completely mesmerized. No one had ever kissed her hand, and no one had ever kissed any part of her, quite like that. She gasped, flushing again, realizing where her thoughts were taking her.

Perhaps this had been much too dangerous to do after all.

Elijah was a man, after all. He was no high school boy.

"I could never forget those eyes of yours, Miss Elena," He teased back, enjoying her reactions to him. "Come," He then offered, still holding her hand in his. "I want you to show me the rest of the property," Elijah then admitted. "I haven't been here in so long," Elijah declared. "I want to properly enjoy everything this place has to offer."

"I can help you there, Elijah," beamed Elena, feeling deeply flattered, and most enchanted by Mikael's mysterious son. They continued to walk like that together, threw the grounds. They looked like a pair who had always known each other, to those who noticed the very attractive pair, walking the grounds. To Mikael, who could see them from the house, it reminded him of something so dangerous that he'd rather forget it forever.

He'd have to watch his son with his ward. Elijah was obviously taken at the very sight of her. And Elena, being the girl she is, couldn't help but look back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mystic Falls High School had been something else. Two boys seemed to notice her, right away. There had been a boy named Matt Donavan in history class with Alaric Saltzman. He was tall, blond, strong and on the football team. He also had the most perfect blue eyes that seemed to be sincerely warm all the time. Elena liked him right away, but there was just something that wasn't there between them. Elena had said no to a date, but invited him to show her around, explaining he could be her first friend instead. Matt seemed to really like that and forgive her for saying no so quickly.

The other boy who had noticed her was entirely different from Matt. He was darkly handsome, and had a real mystery about him that just made Elena want to know more. His name was Stefan Salvatore. She accepted his invite to the Mystic Grill after school. Elena felt really let down when he introduced her to his girlfriend, Caroline Forbes. They had been dating since Stefan returned to town last year. Elena decided to play no further attention to the boy. She didn't want to get between a relationship.

Elena walked out of the grill, surprised to be offered a ride by an older boy named Damon. He said he was Stefan's brother who went to the university near by. Slightly amused and interested, Elena accepted the ride home. They would be going out next Thursday for Pizza.

Dating was alright. Elena told herself firmly. Sure, there was a devestatingly beautiful man living right under her own roof, who seemed more than happy to give her all of his attention, but he was just that: a man. She was a teenager in high school. She would be kidding herself if she believed he was really interested in her. Plus, there was Mikael.

Right from the start, he warned her away from Elijah.

Saying he was a vampire of all things. Mikael had said he himself was a vampire too. Elena had told herself that her foster father was just an older man who loved to tell tales.

Suddenly, opening the door to her house, Elena remembered something that Elijah had said to her upon their first meeting when she had been little.

_"Watch out, little Elena. I bite!"_

Elena had found him amusing then.

Laughing to herself, she went up the stairs, ready to go to her bedroom suite and begin studying. It was attached to one of the many guest rooms in the house. Elena was certain she returned to the rooms that had belonged to her since their arrival a month ago, but she had to wonder when she could hear her shower turn off in the bathroom.

Elena set her book bag on the bed, noticing items about the room that did not belong to her. "Hello?" She called while opening the bathroom door. Elena then froze in place, horrified at what she saw.

Well, not really horrified, when she begin to think about it.

A long, lean, bronze skin man was getting out of her shower, his back to her. And he was very naked.

Elijah then met her eyes with his own.

He then smirked and she flushed a deep red.

"My apologizes, Elena, it's been some time since I had been back in this house," He spoke kindly, finishing stepping out of the shower, all in his glory. "I honestly never realized that you now had my old rooms."

"Oh," Elena spoke, startled by the sound of her own voice. She faught to look away, but she couldn't. And she blushed even more upon realizing towels were no where near in Elijah's reach, they were across the room. "I forgot that Mikael had this house, from before. I'm sorry..." She trailed off, helplessly looking down again, then forcing wide eyes away. "It's still so new to me."

"It actually was purchased by my brother, Niklaus, some years ago," Elijah spoke, still standing before her, seemingly uninterested in going for the towels. "But he hasn't been here for many years."

"Is he your older brother?" She flushed when he came, standing, right before her.

"No," Elijah spoke softly, almost huskily, taking great interest in her nervousness. "Niklaus is a few years younger than myself."

His eyes were unmoving from her face and Elena couldn't look away anymore.

"I had a brother," She spoke, finding it hard to do so. "Or so I was told. He was a year younger than me."

"Did he die in the car accident too?" asked Elijah, suddenly serious.

"My entire family," Elena admitted softly. "That's when Mikael found me. He took me because there had been no one else."

"Did my father adopt you, Elena?" Elijah asked, suddenly really near.

He began touching her hair. Elena gave a little sigh when she felt his breath on her face. "No," She breathed, suddenly heavily. "My parents... they had adopted me shortly... shortly after I was born. Mikael took guardianship of me.. hmm..." She finished with an odd purr when he worked his way down to her neck.

"Do you know what happened to your adopted parents?" It sounded like an offer. Elena blinked as if suddenly awake. He was no longer touching her, but going for the towel. Elena had the pleasure of viewing everything else. He seemed to notice and he seemed to appreciate her obvious interest.

"Mikael said they.. they died in a car accident... I was the only survivor..." Elena stuttered.

"Do you know their names?"

"No," She admitted sadly. "Mikael won't talk to me about it."

"Elena... I believe you should know this. I suggest not telling my father what I'm about to tell you," He began, sitting on the edge of the bathtube in the room that was by the toliet. The shower forgotten. Even wet, he took her breath away.

"Okay..." She agreed hesitantly.

"You are not the only survivor of your adopted family, Elena," He began gently. "In fact, they still live here. You likely even attend school with your brother, Jeremy Gilbert. He lives in the old white house, close to down town, with his father and stepmother, Grayson and Jane Gilbert. They have two other children, I believe, but they are much younger."

"I don't... how is that possible?" Elena insisted, suddenly very upset.

"Elena... Mikael is a very difficult man to understand. But he took you from your family when you were very young. I would not make Jeremy aware of your relation. Least, not yet."

"Why not? What are you talking about, Elijah?" She pressed.

"Elena, Mystic Falls must believe that you are Elena Flemming, and no one else. It is very dangerous for you here."

"Is that even my real name?" She accused darkly.

"Yes. Mikael told me he picked the name Flemming because it had been your last name upon your birth. Your mother's name had been Isobel Flemming. He wanted you to have a link to your past."

"Who was she? Why did I end up with the Gilberts?"

"It is better you do not know... for now..."

"Elijah..."

"Elena, the Gilberts were, and are today, vampire hunters."

"What?" Elena began laughing nervously. "But if that's true... what's stopping me from knowing them?"

"Because you live in a world surronded by vampires, Elena," Elijah replied, sounding honest.

Then it hit her. She was stunned she never realized it before.

Elijah had not aged a day in eight years... niether had Mikael.

In fact, Mikael had always looked the same. Exactly the same.

Why hadn't she noticed it all?

It felt as if a fog had been suddenly lifted.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Her head was still spinning from all the information that Elijah had told her. He had told her what Mikael had always refused too, and yet there were still details that he was holding back from her. Readying herself for school, Elena got to the front hall, digging her school bag from the hall closet. She pulled herself out, long hair everywhere, surprised to be face to face with Elijah.

"Elijah," She spoke after taking a minute to recover her voice. He was right there, looking stunningly handsome in a simple blue dress shirt and black pants. It was so hard to not stare at him like a dumbstruck kid. Especially when he was this close, using a hand to steady her on her back.

"I was hoping to see you, after school, of course," He began to offer kindly. "There is something that I would like to show you, since the other day you seemed so interested in the history of the house."

"Oh," Elena flushed red at the offer, recalling her acceptance to a date after school today with Damon Salvatore. If she had known, right now, Elena was certain she would have passed on Damon's offer in favor of spending more time with Elijah.

"You have plans, I take it?" He said, sounding hesitant, but also kind, giving her a way out of saying yes. She appreciated him right away for it. She really had liked the idea of going out with Damon. Especially after things falling through with Matt and Stefan both.

"I do," Elena admitted softly, with a slight stutter. "Will you be awake later?" She then asked quickly. "About nine or so?"

"Oh, I require little sleep," Elijah replied teasingly, enjoying the look in her eyes. "I will be in my suite about then. I took some rooms on the west side of the house."

Elena flushed, recalling why he likely moved so far away from her rooms. He didn't want a teenage girl walking in on him again in the shower, most likely. But then, he really hadn't seemed so modest with her then.

"Great, I'm sure I'll find you," She replied teasingly back. Slowly, unnoticed until now, Elijah removed his hand from her back. He couldn't help but smile as he drew away from her. "You'll be in the rooms, with the lights on?" She offered with a giggle.

"I don't always sleep with the lights on Elena. I do have appreciation for it, though," Elijah shot back, gazing back at her suggestively. "There are some activities in the bedroom where... " Elijah then broke off, staring at someone behind them. Elena froze as if being caught doing something wrong.

Her foster father had joined them in the hall way. "Elena, shouldn't you be getting to school?" Mikael spoke, sounding furious.

"I... of course..." She broke off, agreeing sadly. Elena then escaped out the front door, not daring to look back at Elijah.

The two men watched Elena leave before speaking.

"Really, father..." spoke Elijah with a slight edge. "She's only just a girl. I was only teasing her."

"You know what she really is, boy," snapped Mikael darkly. "Do not mark her. She belongs to no one, save those who have need for her."

"Are you seriously going to try and help him?" shot Elijah back. "After all this time... after all he's done..."

"It's the only way to have peace..."

"What happened to killing him?" growled Elijah.

"Already that far gone, are you?" hissed Mikael back. "I know she looks like her son, but she is not that blasted girl..."

"Don't even say her name to me..." Elijah replied, sounding dangerous. "You always do this, and she'll end up dead because of your games..."

"What about the games you are playing with her, Elijah?"

"I am playing no game," said Elijah swiftly. "I believe she is old enough to appreciate that. My name isn't Niklaus."

"Elena is only a girl who is still very niave, Elijah," Mikael said, trying a different approch. "It's best to leave things as they are given what she is. Her life will never be her own."

"If you only decide differently, father, she will have a life."

"Elena is not human..."

"Yes, she is," Elijah growled back. "I know that she exists for different reasons than other humans, but human she is. You should have let the Gilberts keep her."

"And raise the doppelganger to hunt our kind?"

"It would have been what was best for her."

"You have no idea what her blood can do..."

"I do," Elijah snapped, angry. "Have you forgotten Katerina?"

"And look what your meddling resulted in," Mikael countered back. "Leave this one alone, Elijah."

"No," Elijah spoke simply. Then he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A simple Pizza date had suddenly become a much more difficult and complicated thing for Elena. Damon had taken her to the Mystic Grill, which had been fine, at first. Inside awaited Stefan, his younger brother, and his girlfriend, Caroline. Elena felt a bit humiliated to see the younger Salvatore brother now. She had really liked him, right away. And then she found out about Caroline.

The intense looks that Stefan was giving her while she was trying to enjoy her time with Damon was becoming too much. What game was he playing with her? He had a girlfriend! Did he really think she was like that?

Having enough, Elena suddenly got up and hurried out of the resturant bar. She knew Damon was hurrying after her.

"What`s wrong?" asked Damon, sounding upset that she just took off like that. Elena sighed softly. "Damon, I'm sorry. But I think that... that Stefan might be interested in me. He won't stop staring at me. I couldn't take it anymore. He has someone!" She finished in protest of her actions.

Damon walked before her and cupped her face in his hands. "It's okay, Elena," He told her softly, sounding amused now.

"What is it?" She insisted. She hated being teased like that.

"You kind of look like my brother's first love a bit," Damon offered with a sly smile. "He's had some trouble, getting over her."

Elena looked very upset at this. "Poor Caroline..."

"Why poor Caroline?" Damon laughed.

"Her boyfriend still has a thing for his ex... and me... she deserves someone who just wants her..." Elena finished firmly.

"Do you like my brother, Elena?" pressed Damon.

"Not anymore," Elena confirmed, suddenly liking the look in his eyes.

"Good," Damon annouced huskily, before claiming Elena's lips with his own.

He released her first. Elena blushed furiously. She couldn't believe she allowed him to kiss her like that.

"Lets go, Elena," Damon then said, moving for his car. "Time to get you home."

Elena followed after him, fighting a new feeling of intensity for this man. She barely knew Damon Salvatore, and yet, she felt as if she had known him all of her life. He was intense, and even a bit crude at times, but Elena could tell his interest in her was sincere. That brought her a warmth that she had never felt for anyone before. Before dropping her off, Elena agreed to go out with him again, this weekend. Dinner and a movie. Elena had no idea where it was going to go, but it wasn't like she had anyone else seriously fighting for her interest other than the eldest Salvatore. At least, not anyone else who she was interested in.

It was a lie she told herself a lot over the last few days.

Now, she was home, about to join Elijah inside his bedroom. Late at night.

Elena faught the urge to run and meet him.

She walked slowly, carefully instead.

* * *

The corridor outside of Elijah's suite reminded Elena of wondering what it would be like to time travel when she had been a child. It was like stepping into the 1500s and not looking back. The walls were made of an old stone and designed with the most beautiful tapestries that Elena had ever seen. Outside of art class of course. Mikael's taste certainly was far from modern with most of his houses that she had seen over the years, but nothing she had seen in any of them had prepared her for any of this. She was in awe, from the high Tudor ceilings to the unusual markings on the floor.

He had found her in his door way, looking like she had been about to knock before getting lost in a painting on the wall that Elijah recognized from the 15th centry. "Elena?" He said, startling her. He had been right beside her saying her name.

"Elijah, my god..." She exclaimed, sounding like an excited child. "All of this, is simply amazing."

"Thank you," He answered, keeping it simple. He wasn't certain if Elena had truly believed him about his hint at vampires yet. Elijah decided not to press it. At least not yet. "Come," He then said, urging her into his personal space.

Elijah opened the door wider when noticing her hesitance. "I won't bite, Elena. Honest," He then teased her gently, noticing her embaressment. Elijah guessed there was truth to Mikael's niave comment about Elena. Despite being an eighteen-year-old teenager in this world they lived in, Elena most likely had never been this alone yet with a man.

Elena met his warm gaze then flashed him a sincerely warm smile before stepping inside his rooms.

"Oh, Elijah..." She gushed again loudly, staring from his bed to the desk and books in the far corner. Elijah faught the urge to blush now. Instead, he moved towards the bed while removing his suit jacket. He wanted to seem at ease, hoping it would make Elena feel that way too.

He then turned back to her noticing she had been staring at him again. Elena blushed wildly before turning from his gaze. He chuckled, not being able to help it. Instead of saying anything about it, or confronting her on her obvious attraction for him, Elijah slowly moved towards her, offering Elena his right hand. She seemed surprised but also very glad. With a smile, she took it, without thinking or asking what he had planned.

"Do you trust me?" He then asked her seriously. This question seemed to bother her above all else. In fact, it seemed to only cause more embaressment. "As far as I trust myself," Elena admitted dryly, causing a great, warm laugh from him. "I will have to ask you about that sometime," He shot back, causing her small, delightful mouth to form a small O. "Come," He then urged, not giving her a chance to say anything before pulling her along to the balcony, her hand still in his own.

* * *

The night air was cool and Elena went to hug herself only to be stopped by the feel of Elijah's hands on her arms. Slowly, he rubbed them and Elena let out a sigh and leaned back into his chest without thinking about it. After a moment, she realized he had been just holding her close, and she gently stepped back from him. "Sorry," Elena spoke first, flushing brightly. "I forgot where I was for a moment..."

"No matter," Elijah spoke next, gently so, letting her know it was alright and the moment was over. "I think I did as well." He agreed.

Elena beamed brightly at him. "So, you have me curious, Elijah..."

"I have you?" He asked, in that familiar, teasing tone she was begining to love about him. Elena felt a bit of seriousness in his voice too. She was begining to wonder if perhaps Elijah did see her something as other than a silly school girl who lived in his fathers home. And Elena didn't quite know what to do about that yet.

"I mean..." She began, sounding nervous. "That I want to know what you're up too," She teased him, sounding proud she finally spat out a retort, if only a weak one.

"Hmm, maybe I just wanted to get you alone and have you all to myself," He replied, rather huskily, with the teasing still there though.

"Elijah..." Elena turned pink. She really had no idea how to handle this flirting with him.

Elijah smirked at her reaction to his teasing. If he wanted to be honest with himself, he was flat out flirting with the girl, using a mask of banter with everything he said. In his time, it wasn't unusal for a man near thirty to pursue someone of Elena's age. Elena's time was different though. He was enjoying himself with her. He couldn't deny that. But he wanted to be very careful with how fast things were changing between them. Elena was still so young, although considered to be an adult in certain parts of the world, an adult she wasn't yet.

He had briefly wondered if he had pushed things too far in the bathroom the other day, but it was obvious his interest was shared by Elena. Even if perhaps she wasn't prepared to deal with how she felt about him yet.

"Elena, you look very lovely this evening," Elijah told her instead, taking in the simplicity of what she was wearing with admiration. Most young women her age was always trying to hard to impress those around her. Instead, Elena dressed with what she was comfortable in. A simple blue t-shirt with black slacks and red colored running shoes. "Now that I have utterly embaressed you just in effort to see that lovely blush you have," started Elijah, delighting in her surprised look again. "I'll show you why I wanted to see you alone." Elijah moved towards an old looking book shelf near his closet. He pulled out a dusty copy of a book that said Gilbert on the cover. "It's a journal of your great grandfather... or, if you would, Jeremy Gilbert's great grandparent.

Elena opened the old book in awe. "Elijah... it's amazing... but I don't understand... why do you have this? Why show it to me?" She pressed softly. "Technically they are my family, but... they don't even know me..."

"Jonathan Gilbert kept journals since he had been old enough to write to the time he died. His writings will tell you about the first vampires that he encountered in Mystic Falls."

Elena caught sight of a date. May 13th, 1864.

And a name. She couldn't forget the name. And it chilled her to her very core.

Stefan Salvatore.

"Vampires are everywhere, Elena," said Elijah, confirming something she didn't want to hear. "Even in your school. I'm sorry having to show you this, but I felt you had the right to know."

"... I..." Elena blinked back tears. "I appreciate it, Elijah," She began with difficulity. "But ... still, how do you have this?"

"Elizabeth Gilbert, his daughter, gave it to me," replied Elijah honestly. "She did not live for very long afterwards, but that was also around the time that I met Stefan Salvatore and his brother Damon for the first time."

"You mean Stefan and Damon's ancestors," replied Elena, understanding. Stefan had bragged about them to her in school.

"No, Elena," Elijah answered shortly. "I do not."

"What..."

"The Salvatores are vampires as well as myself and Mikael," Elijah told her, confirming her worst fears. Fears she refused to hear completely, until now.

"Are there others?" Elena insisted after regaining herself.

"Yes, there are many," Elijah agreed. "But not many around here. Not anymore. Most of my family were vampires as well."

"Will you... " Elena started hesitantly. "Do you hurt... drink blood, from humans?"

Elijah gave her a sad, rather helpless looking smile. "We have all done so, I believe, at some point or other," replied Elijah. "But not... not any more. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Elena trembled. Elijah's eyes twinkled in their amusement. "Unless they ask me too."

"What? There are people who really... you know... want that?" She seemed truly shocked. It made Elijah like this girl all the more.

"Elena," He began hesitantly himself, wondering how much he should answer her, after just declaring her would-be boyfriend a vampire. "There is a certain sexual taste, which desires it."

"Oh," Elena then blushed from her arms to her face at hearing that.

"Maybe I'll show you what I mean some time," He then said suggestively, enjoying the shocked look he again gained by taking the flirtation further than she was prepared for it to go. Elijah then chuckled, reaching for her gently, holding her arms length. "Lovely Elena, how about you get back to your rooms for the night. Be sure to take the journal. It is getting quite late. Mikael will notice if you are seen leaving my bedroom at dawn."

Elijah then released her after giving her a brief kiss to her cheek and turning away from her so she would go, no more questions asked.

The questions would come later, when she was ready to ask them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Elena hadn't cancelled her date with Damon Salvatore despite knowing he was a vampire. They settled for Pizza again, and Damon continued to behave just like any other guy she had met. He was funny, charming as hell, and very seductive when he tried to be.

Elena felt happy when she was with Damon. Despite his younger brother watching them whenever he could. After a month of steadily seeing each other, Damon admitted his feelings for her and she admitted her feelings as well.

Elena wasn't sure if it was love that she was feeling for Damon, but she enjoyed herself with him enough to want to explore whatever it was growing between them. She even began to lose track of Elijah, the very sexy son of her foster father, who she had been almost stalking since he returned home.

Elijah had some things in common with Damon, but he was very different from Damon as well. Elijah seemed to be older, not just in appearance. Elijah was like a romantic, tragic love that had stepped strait out of some classic novel. He was sweet, gentle, kind and cleaver and funny and charming in a very old world manner. Elena had felt herself seriously falling for Elijah, but had decided to pull back and explore what she was feeling for Damon. After all, both were vampires, but Damon seemed to be closer to her in age than Elijah was. They both liked to have fun and just be together. Elena was very much enjoying her relationship with the elder Salvatore.

But, there was part of her that was missing those often long, wonderful, mysterious, flirty chats with a certain man she had caught being very naked in her shower a month ago. Elena would only confess to herself that she hadn`t been able to use her shower without seeing a wet, dripping Elijah, long and lean, smiling invitingly at her.

Daring her to reach out and show him what he was doing to her.

Elena flopped down on her bed and groaned aloud.

She was dating a wonderful, sexy, devestatingly beautiful man who was in her reach. One she could see without wondering if Mikael was lurking in the shadows, ready to ruin everything at a moments notice. And Damon really cared for her.

Elena knew she should be happy and not think twice about Elijah.

But she couldn`t stop thinking about him.

Decided, Elena was going to try and find Elijah again to talk to him. Maybe he would be able to help her decide what her feelings really were for him.

* * *

She heard laughter coming from his suite. Female laughter. Elena had been about to knock on the old door when the sounds of laughter pierced her in the chest. She would never be able to get that sound out of her head. It already haunted her and replayed itself.

She had no right to judge him. She had no right to feel hurt or jealous. They were not together. Elijah could be with any woman he wanted to be with.

Tears faught there way down her face as she rushed away from Elijah's door.

She had been so foolish to believe he might have cared about her.

After only a few weeks, he had already found someone.

Elena decided to find Damon. She had to go to Damon and see if this was real. It was all she had left to cling too anymore.

* * *

Stefan Salvatore opened the door to the Salvatore mansion, pausing at seeing a brokenhearted Elena. "What happened?" He asked gently, letting her come in.

"Is Damon here?" She pressed, wanting to get away from Stefan as quickly as possible.

"Elena?"

Elena turned around to see Damon instantly before her. She rushed into his embrace, not caring how he did that. Only that he was here for her. "Damon, I have been such a fool."

"What?" Damon pulled away from her, brushing her hair from her face. "Hey, you're crying? Why? What's wrong?"

Stefan quietly left the couple alone, watching them in sad silence.

In reply, Elena grabbed Damon, pulling him into a passionate kiss that set her world on fire. He pulled away first, breathless. "Elena..."

"No," She gasped. Elena gave him another breathless, passionate kiss that slowly worked at her broken heart. "I want you, Damon. It's you. I know that now," Elena said like a promise. She lovingly caressed his face.

"I want to be with you, too, Elena," Damon said back, kissing her back just as deeply.

"Then, we're together, right?" Elena broke away, needing an answer to what their relationship was.

"Elena, I know it's been only a few weeks. But, I love you. I have loved you since the first moment I layed eyes on you. If you want me as much as I want to be with you, I can't ask for anything more," Damon declared with deep emotion. He returned her loving touch.

"I love you," Elena told him with a bright smile, full of promise.

Damon then embraced her, letting Elena feel how much he loved her, how much he always would.

Elijah was a memory to be forgotten for tonight. Elena let Damon lead her to his bedroom.

* * *

She arrived home at five in the morning, hoping that Mikael wouldn't notice. She had yet to tell him about Damon, let alone how serious she was with him. Mikael would take her away from her new life here if he found out about Damon. Elena was sure of it.

Her heart threatened to break all over again at what else that could mean. It could mean that she may never see Elijah again too.

No one could know about Damon.

Elena went to go into another corridor that would take her to a back stair case up the stairs. Elena went for the stairs and bound up them. She cried out upon spotting Mikael in the darkness. He was glaring at her.

"Mikael," Elena gasped in shock and horror.

"Elena, did I raise you to be out at all hours of the night?" he grabbed her by her arm, causing her to cry out.

"Father!"

Elena looked up, even more horrified to see who it was, but also greatful. Elijah!

He was dressed in pajama bottoms, looking at them with grave concern.

"Elijah, stay out of this!"

"Father, Elena was with me," said Elijah, coming down, and taking her arm, slowly pulling her from Mikael's grip. He still kept hold of her to steady her, and half fear from Mikael, and that he might grab her again, or much worse.

Elena stared at Elijah, saying nothing. She couldn't lie. She had never been able to lie to Mikael.

"With you, boy?" Mikael hissed, livid now. "What did I tell you..."

"Elena is a woman now, father. She can freely choose who to keep company with," Elijah argued back darkly, standing in front of Elena protectively.

"This is not over, boy," Mikael promised before stalking away.

Elena caught her breath, watching him go, before turning to Elijah. "Elijah... I am so sorry... thank you..."

"You'd best return to your rooms, Elena," Elijah said quietly in response before vanishing from sight. Elena felt as if she had just lost something very precious which would never be given back to her again. Elijah's affection, Elijah's friendship, and with all that it had once promised.

What had she done to offend him so?

* * *

The next morning, Damon Salvatore was walking on air.

He had the woman he loved. Well, she had her face, but Elena was proving how different she was from Katherine, more so every day. Damon was really falling in love with the girl who looked exactly like his old love. At first, his interest was directly based on who she looked like. But when he got to know Elena, he knew that he would love her and only her, forever.

Katherine was not a woman who had been capable of loving anyone but herself. Elena, she was very much capable of love, and Damon felt she was on the brink of returning his feelings for her.

Elena had declared she had feelings for him, but Damon knew she wasn't quite there yet with him. He guessed there was someone else that was holding her back, but didn't quite have her yet.

Damon at first thought it was Stefan, but Elena had vowed she had no feelings at all for his brother anymore, and Damon had believed her. Stefan, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking at Elena, whenever given the chance.

Damon really couldn't fault his brother given how much Elena looks like Katherine.

Perhaps if he could find out why Elena looks like Katherine's long lost twin, he might gain a better understanding of what was holding Elena back from him.

Katherine had no children, supposedly, before coming a vampire. So Elena's being an ancestor was out of the question. And yet, how could she not be related to Katherine?

Elena had been born Elena Flemming to a teenage mother named Isobel Flemming at the age of fifteen. Elena had then been given to the local Gilbert family at birth and they had adopted her. Two years later, Miranda Gilbert, Elena's adopted mother, had been found murdered in a store parking lot. Elena had gone missing and her adopted father had never seen her again.

Sixteen years later, Elena returns to Mystic Falls to finish her last year of high school, while living with some old guy named Mikael Mikaelson, supposedly her foster father. Elena's name had been changed back to Flemming, indicating that her foster parent wanted to hide her real idenity as a Gilbert. But why?

Stefan found Damon staring at some old city hall records of the Gilbert family inside their living room.

"What are you doing, Damon? Elena has never even known the Gilberts. Why care?"

"I'm trying to figure out why Mikael snatched Elena at the age of two from the Gilberts, that's why," Damon bit back.

"Maybe he found her, just like Elena said? Ever think of that?"

"Ever hear of the doppelganger, brother?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Elijah returned to his suite after watching Elena quietly leave him for her own rooms. He had hurt her with his distance, feeling no more warmth where there once had been.

He knew he shouldn't judge her for wanting a relationship with someone. Especially a romantic relationship. She was still young, so it should be expected that someone would claim her love. There had been no commitment between them, or any words spoken to put a voice to whatever was this mysterious dance of banter between them. And yet, he felt as if she had slapped him across the face for daring to feel something for her by making her new relationship an easily noticed secret.

Elijah had felt the need to lash out at her nearly unstoppable when he had realized why exactly she had been returning home at an ungodly hour. He hadn't needed to ask her any questions. He could easily smell the scent of her lover all over her like a thick perfume.

Part of Elijah had wanted to let Mikael show Elena what exactly happened to those who crossed his word. He had seen it enough with his brothers and sister over the years of their youth. His sister had only one suitor, and the young man had come calling when Rebekah had turned seventeen, wanting to ask for her hand. Their father, deeming the youth unworthy for his lowly birth, had taken the boy's hand with his sword in response.

Mikael would not approve of Damon Salvatore as a mate for the doppelganger of Katerina Petrova. The other Salvatore had been sniffing around Elena as well. Stefan, made a vampire at seventeen, an eternal boy. He was supposedly dating another young vampire, Caroline Forbes, but would change that in a heartbeat for a chance with the doppelganger of his former lover.

Elijah, decided, rather hatefully so, he would go to Elena to apologize for his distance and his coldness, and in turn he wished she would explain how they had went from their dance of careful words, and quickly reduced to awkwardness at her sudden change of heart.

Did Damon Salvatore suceed in capturing her love so quickly? Or did he use manipulation that only a vampire knew to win her hand?

Elijah swore to himself as he got ready for bed for the night. He had not been mistaken in Elena's attraction for him. Why would she turn to another? And so damn fast...

Deciding he could not wait until morning for an answer, he rose from his sheets, grabbed his pajama bottoms before stepping out into the darkness.

* * *

Elijah knocked softly on her door, only smelling the scent that was Elena from the hall way. He felt a nearly shameful sense of relief and joy at that. Jealousy was still fresh within him. It was a feeling he still couldn't quite admit yet to himself.

It had been so long since such feelings had dared to stir within him. They were very dangerous to a vampire. It was always dangerous to care that much. To feel that deeply.

She failed to answer, which was unlike Elena, so he opened the door and entered uninvited. He told himself it was simply to ensure she was alright.

Elijah found he was lying to himself a lot over the last few days. That was something else he wasn't ready to address yet, either.

"Elena?" He called, looking from the bed that hadn't been rested in, and to the open bathroom door, displaying that Elena wasn't inside.

Where was she?

Elijah turned, seeing the taris doors open, which lead to the unused pool in the back yards of the house.

Elena had gone for a swim. Slowly, Elijah took in the view as he found himself following after Elena. He saw wet olive skin dancing in the moonlight that was coming down on the water. She was swimming, taking her time in the water. Elijah was standing right above the water when Elena finally noticed she was no longer alone. He heard a gasp, no louder than a whisper. Slowly, her face changed, happy to see him, but she was also hesitant to meet him out of the water. He honestly couldn't blame her, given his reaction to her being out all night with a boyfriend.

He was putting expectations on their relationship without giving a voice to what he expected of her and the relationship they had been forming. Perhaps, it was time he let Elena know what he wanted. More than anything, from deep within his very skin, Elijah knew he wanted her.

"Elijah," She breathed, locking eyes with him for a long moment, before getting out of the water. She smiled when he offered her a hand to help her from the water. Awkwardly, they continued to stare at each other before Elena continued speaking. "Elijah... I just wanted to tell you... I am really sorry. The last thing I had wanted was to put you into an awkward situation with Mikael. I never expected you to lie for me, but thank you... if that can even apply to this..." Elena trailed off, trying to hide a deep embrassment.

Without even thinking of doing so, his eyes took in her appearance. Elena was wearing a red two-piece bathing suit that was held together by carefully tied bows. One was loose on her left hip, displaying hints of a perfectly smooth path of skin that went down and down too... He blinked as if burned. He couldn't have a conversation with her without fixing that first.

"Elena," He began, sounding startled, moving towards her. "Here..."

She gasped at the contact his fingers had made with bare skin as he tried to adjust her bathing suit. He had fixed the problem within seconds, but he couldn't help but be drawn to the sound of her heart beating as he heard careful, sharp breaths coming from that silky smooth chest. Elena was affected by his closeness as he was affected by hers. He found himself willingly breaching the border that separated what they were to each other. That careful wall that didn't allow him to think of her like this.

She was so young and yet, she wasn't young anymore. Elena had somehow managed to grow up into the beautiful young woman before him. She was no longer the little girl he had first known. She was a young woman who had taken over, unwittingly, a part of himself that he had believed long dead.

Elijah could not even say how it happened, but he felt himself drawing closer and closer to Elena, who seemed to want to know herself, where this was about to lead them. Breathlessly, their lips connected in a deep, lingering kiss. Elijah broke it first, not from wanting too, but upon hearing the approch of another vampire. The moment, as it was, was over. Broken unwantingly.

Elena was still close, perhaps too close. Perhaps it was the look on her face that gave it away. Still breathless with desire. Damon Salvatore seemed to know instantly what had been happening between them without being told anything or seeing anything reguardless.

Elijah felt relief. Perhaps it would be the push that Elena was looking for to admit the truth. Whatever she felt for Damon, could not touch what was happening between them, and it was something that was unstopable.

Her eyes finally told her the worst of it. Damon didn't see, but he knew. He knew it. And the look on her face had said everything her words couldn't.

"Damon," Elena began, startled, moving out of Elijah's reach as if his touch could burn her. "I ...I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean for..."

"Are you really going to pull that old card, Elena?" snapped Damon sarcastically, cutting her off. "You said that you loved me and I actually believed you..."

"Damon, I..." Elijah held her back for fear of what Damon might do.

"Save it, Elena. I should have known better than to trust the likes of you... you're just like her, you know that?" Damon went on mockingly.

"Don't," spat Elijah warningly to the younger vampire. "Leave, now."

Elena did not protest Elijah's order and she looked gulitily away from Damon's deeply hurt face. She had crushed the elder Salvatore, utterly, and her heart broke for the damage she had caused him. Damon had honestly loved her and she had taken that love without ever really returning it.

Damon took one last vicious look at Elena before vanishing into the night. Elena faught to hold it together, but she was fighting a losing battle. Tears fell down her face, realizing it was over with Damon. It was for the best, but it still hurt to know she had just lost someone who had really cared about her.

"Elena," started Elijah hesitantly. He had no words of comfort to offer her. She had done this. It was she who entered a relationship with someone knowing how she had felt for another. The damage was her own to regard and reflect upon. "I suspect that Mr. Salvatore may be upset for some time to come... I would give him time... "

Elena nodded wordlessly, awkwardly so before saying anything. "I know," She said shortly. "I did this. I made this mess."

Elijah then knew it right then. Despite the obvious between them, Elena wasn't yet ready to accept it. She was only seeing the pain she had caused Damon and nothing else. Not anymore. He wondered if she would ever be ready to accept her feelings for him without some messure of guilt in the way of it all over her ill treatment of Damon. He buried his own feelings, down deep. Again, reminded of her age and her youth and inexperience.

"Elena, my sister will be leaving soon," He began, almost forgetting that he never told her who the guest had been in his rooms that fateful night. After everything, it seemed not to matter anymore, till now. She had to know there was no one else but her for him. No one that would matter anyway. "I will see her out tomorrow. I suggest perhaps keeping clear... until then. Rebekah is very unaccepting... of ... well, everything, actually. It might be easier..."

Elena was floored. She was putting it all together and she looked horrified. "I... I will stay away, of course..." She choked, upset.

Elijah then reached for her hand. "Elena, I am still here... when you're ready... I'm here... I want you to know that... "

She nodded, the guilt still there, heavily so. Her feelings were mixed, hurt, crushed... She had nearly unknowingly ruined everything for them, and so thoughtlessly. Elena would need time to deal with that, and with the loss of Damon. He had been her first serious relationship, yet it had been a meaningless one, when you got down to it. Damon had loved Elena, but she had never returned the same feelings for him. And she partly hated herself for allowing it to continue so long. "Elijah... I... I want you to be here. Never stop, being here..." She whispered, confessing her first thoughts that came to her.

He was about to release her hand but then he found that he couldn't. He then grabbed for her hand again, pulling her into him, kissing her with a deep desire. Simply enjoying her lips before releasing her. "You know where you can find me," Elijah then said softly. He then backed away from her, before turning back towards the house, leaving Elena lost in deep thought.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Elena faught the urge to follow after Elijah. She watched him go inside, shivering all the while. She felt a longing for him that was unmatched by anything she had felt for anyone before. A part of her had believed it to be love with Damon. But now, after realizing the depth of the feelings that Elijah was bringing out within her, Elena honestly wasn't certain if she had ever loved Damon. All she knew right now, with complete certainty, their relationship could no longer continue. It was over with Damon. She could not be with him and feel what she was feeling for another man.

When enough time passed, she'd approch Damon to see if he was alright. She'd ask Stefan to ensure his brother was okay, but, that was a risk within itself. Elena knew that Stefan was having inappropriate feelings for her. She had no idea if he had figured out her relationship with Damon on top of that.

Elena went inside for the night, returning to her own rooms. She needed the time to figure out what she was going to do next.

* * *

"You really have a thing for that little girl that our father brought home, don't you?"

Elijah rolled his eyes and closed his book that he had been reading. If this was Rebekah's idea of goodbye, he could have done without it.

What was another fifteen years or so without his only sister. It was the time period that she usually stayed away for before simply popping up. She often lived with their brother Niklaus, but Klaus had been living under the radar over the last twenty years or so. She had no idea where their brother was.

"Elena is no child anymore, Rebekah..."

"Do you know that little brat pulled my hair when I first met her?" Rebekah spat accusingly.

"She was five at the time, I recall you saying, and you had hissed at her," Elijah replied remindingly.

"She dropped my good dress in the mud," Rebekah fired back hotly.

"Rebekah, Elena is an eighteen year old now," Elijah said in defense. "You might actually like her."

"Bloody hell likely," Rebekah glared viciously. "I have no appreciation for human pets."

"Elena is no pet of mine," Elijah nearly snapped, having enough. "But you will not harm her in any way. Are we clear?"

"Ah, yes," Rebekah declared, having enough of this as well. "Don`t you ever mate with that Mary anymore, Elijah?

"If you mean Mary Porter, Rebekah, you know very well what became of Mary."

"Ah, your pretty little friend, the ex-nun, never stood a chance with Kol stalking her for those first thirty years or so."

"I believe it was Niklaus that finished off what was left of her, Rebekah," quipped Elijah darkly. "You should recall."

"Ah, yes," She admitted with a sigh. Elijah only shook his head. Rebekah had lived for over a thousand years, but she was still that same selfish young seventeen year old that never forgave those responsible for what she was now. "I will keep my word, brother, and keep clear of this one. But you must know that Mikael has informed our dear brother that the doppelganger has been reborn and can be of use to him now."

"What?" Elijah was stunned. Why would their father willingly give up Elena after protecting her for the last sixteen years of her life? "But if he had intended to give Elena up to Niklaus, why protect her at all these last years?"

"Because, he knows it's what Nick wants. And if he gets what he wants, we maintain the peace in our family."

"What use is Elena to him besides her blood?"

"Think about it," offered Rebekah. "Why do you yourself want her, Elijah? Why do you really want her? Give way your honor before answering brother."

"He wants Elena as his mate..." gasped Elijah.

"Yes," Rebekah agreed. "He's tired of being alone. He's tired being without her."

Elijah knew who Rebekah meant. Tatia. Niklaus had been in love with her and in the end they had both lost.

"But Elena is human. A hybrid cannot mate with a human and reproduce."

"He can if he makes her a werewolf," replied Rebekah, sounding sad for him.

"I... I cannot allow that to happen," Elijah finally spoke aloud.

"Think of it this way," spat Rebekah rather darkly. "At least if Nick gets her, Elijah, she will have some resemblance of a life. He'll be good to her and she will have a family."

"He'll never be good to her," countered Elijah, shaking his head. "She will be required for only one purpose."

"Why let it matter, Elijah," argued Rebekah, knowing full well her brothers were about to go to war over another girl with doe like eyes and olive skin. "Let her go."

"Never," replied Elijah back fiercely. "Elena is mine. She is my mate."

"Not yet, Elijah. Let her go."

"Never," Elijah said, his promise made. Elena would belong to him. Salvatores sensitivities be damned. Elijah then walked away. He could no longer afford to give Elena the time she needed to sort things out. There was no time left.

* * *

Elena was dreaming of Elijah.

Nothing else could explain why she suddenly felt his arms around her, his hands everywhere. Passion lit fire to her form and she gave into his demanding, insistant kisses with barely hidden surprise and a smile to her face.

Soon, things were going fast. Her clothes were gone and so were his. When she felt him move between her legs, it was then Elena realized this was no dream. This was Elijah, here in her bed, wanting her with great, obvious need.

He moved with great experience and patience. He worked her body like he had always known how too. His hips soon met hers and she gasped at the contact. The things she was feeling, she had never felt them before, and Elena never felt more overwelmed than she did right now. She was desirous for him, but also afraid that this was being rushed, and she didn't understand why.

With a look, Elijah seemed to understand her sudden fears. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she wasn't ready for this to happen yet. "Elena," He breathed huskily, and Elena swooned at the sound of his voice. It was filled with need, for her. Then the serious moment was gone and a devious look came to Elijah's kind face. "Let me show you why I want you," He half pleaded, half groaned at the feel of her bare skin against his. Elena nodded, despite not knowing what to expect.

He continued his attentions to her body. Just when Elena thought it was over, his teeth bit down into her skin, drawing blood. Elena woke up hours later, crying out her lovers name in her sleep.

She was surprised to find herself alone. It had felt so real.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

School was quiet accept for Stefan Salvatore's growing and obvious interest in her. Elena couldn't stop thinking about Elijah from the night before and that dream she had that had been so real. That was until Stefan started following her around and letting her know that he'd broken up with Caroline the night before. Elena could only suspect he had heard about Damon after all and now hoped for his chance with her.

Elena was tempted to tell him her interest was actually set to someone else, but she had no idea if Stefan and Damon were aware of other vampires being in Mystic Falls or not. She couldn't risk them finding out if they didn't know. Mikael hadn't been the kindest person to her while growing up, but he had supported her and been there for her and helped her become a good student. He was all she knew and had when it came to family. His other children were out there somewhere, however Elena had only met two of them. Elijah, who had always been kind to her in their very brief meetings. And Rebekah, who hated her right from the start. She said it was because she reminded her of someone. Elena had no idea who she had meant.

Stefan had cornered her after lunch as she was getting ready to go to history class, and Elena sighed darkly. Couldn't he take a hint?

"Look, Stefan," Elena began hesitantly. "I don't know if you know that I just broke up with your brother last night, but I did, and I'm not ready for a new relationship."

"Oh, I know about Damon," Stefan admitted with a hesitant sigh. "I just want you to know Elena that you're not alone. I really want to get to know you better."

"Stefan, I think you can be a really good guy," Elena began shortly. "But I'm not interested in you in that way..."

"Is it because of Damon... or that older guy he told me about?"

"What?" Elena felt her stomach become very upset. "What older guy?"

"He told me you were kissing some guy that lives with you and your foster father..."

"Look, Stefan... " Elena started with tears forming in her dark eyes. "I don't think that my personal life is any of your business... I would really stay out of it."

Stefan then grabbed her arm and Elena could have sworn his eyes went a blood red color right here in the corridor of the high school. "Stefan..." She protested.

"First you like me and now you don't?" He hissed coldly. "I gave up Caroline for you..."

"I never wanted you too..." Elena argued fearfully. "You had a girlfriend, Stefan, and you let me like you without telling me that..."

"So you went for my brother to get back at me..." He accused.

"No," Elena replied quickly. "I went for Damon because he never lied to me and he liked me."

"Only because you look like her..." Stefan then began darkly. "Did your vampire family ever tell you you're her doppelganger?"

"What?" Elena was stunned. "What do you mean? Katherine? She was a vampire? And how do you know about my family..."

"Your foster family is infamous in our circle, Elena," Stefan said, letting her go. "Especially Elijah... has he told you how many people he's murdered over the years? Did he tell you that he took a former nun as a lover and let his family drive her insane before making her a vampire?"

Elena blinked as if slapped. She knew very little about Mikael's family and their past, and she hated to admit it, but she also knew very little about Elijah too. "Stop it..."

"Talk to your family, Elena," Stefan dared her. "You'll want to run away, screaming, when you do."

Stefan then left her alone in the corridor and Elena hurried to class while trying to mask the emotions playing on her face.

* * *

Elena managed to get home without anymore encounters with Stefan. She was shaking from what he had told her still. There was no way that she could ask Mikael anything. Mikael was very protective of her and she would hate to know what he would do if he felt someone knew too much about his family.

Elena decided to go to Elijah and ask about the things Stefan had said.

She rushed up the staircase and hurried towards Elijah's end of the house. Elena knocked on his door, happy to see he was there, and called her to come inside.

Elena opened the doors to his suite, rather stunned to see he wasn't alone. He was sitting at the desk in the room, fully clothed, reading papers. There was a tall, red haired woman to his left, looking over papers with him. Immediately, Elena felt jealous as hell of this woman. Especially after that kiss... those kisses actually... and in her dream where he... well, that was dream, but that shouldn't matter... Elena thought rather bitterly.

Elijah seemed to take notice of her mood and hid a smirk for her benifit. "Lovely Elena, this is my friend, Claudia. She is investigating some matters for me."

The woman smiled but then quickly exited with the papers Elijah had been reading.

Elijah then stood, dressed in a blue dress shirt that had the arms rolled up and black pants. He looked damned good and Elena hated not being able to be mad at him any longer for being in his suite with a beautiful woman with legs to her ears. He came over to her, taking her hands in his and pulled her over to the sofa. "So, Elena, what do I owe this pleasure of your presence in my rooms?" He asked gently, taking obvious satisfaction in having her so close on the sofa with him.

"Why would a vampire refer to me as a doppelganger of Katherine Pierce?" She asked purposely, surprising Elijah.

"So, I take it one of the Salvatores told you that?" Elijah seemed to be instantly bothered by this.

"Stefan told me a few things today, at school, after I turned him down," Elena told him with honesty. "He believed since I'm no longer seeing Damon that..."

"He could just come along and claim you for himself?" finished Elijah, still angry that someone could show her such obvious disrespect.

"Yes," admitted Elena softly, tracing his hands with hers. She hoped the motion showed Elijah that she never once enjoyed Stefan's attentions towards her. "What did he mean, Elijah? He told me I should be afraid to be tied to your family."

"Elena, my family..." Elijah began, sounding guilty. "Is a very old family. We are the first vampires in existance. Better known as the originals. And you, well, your family, is also tied to us."

"How?" She insisted, sounding confused. "What does this all mean?"

"You are the human doppelganger of Katherine Pierce, who was the first doppelganger to Tatia Petrova. Tatia's blood was used in the magic that created all vampires. This spell, created the doppelganger line. Meaning every five hundred years, the doppelganger would reappear. She, Tatia`s exact physical copy, would be born again, providing her lineage lived on. And, it has, so far," Elijah offered easily. "It is why that Mikael took you from your parents, the Gilberts, those who were supposed to raise you. He felt that you would only be a grave danger to them, thus risking you as well, should they raise you. So he took you. Your blood can be a huge magical source, saught by vampires and witches and anyone else tied to the supernatural world. So Mikael always said that he had killed the doppelganger to any would would listen."

"Why would he want me dead? Why would anyone? And you know what I am, yet have never said anything to me," Elena said accusingly.

"I knew Tatia, Elena," Elijah admitted softly. "I was in love with her most of my life. Your idenity as the doppelganger is unmistakeable as you are idenical to her in appearance, yet she has been dead for over a thousand years. My brother, Niklaus, loved her as well. I have never told you anything until recently, for I feared what the information would do to you if other vampires happened to learn that the doppelganger was alive. Mikael has never told you the truth for fear that those he wanted to keep you safe from would discover who you are before you were ready. A time may come, soon, where others may come for you, because of what you are."

Elena looked at Elijah fearfully, overwhelmed by everything that seemed to be taking over her life now. She was just a teenager with teenage problems. Now she was on the most wanted list of several vampires apparently and what ever else went bump in the night.

And Elijah had been in love with this Tatia. Were his feelings for her even real, or was his like Stefan, who apparently saw her as something to claim?

Elena released his hand and stepped away from him. Elijah saw the change in her as well. "Elena, I hope that you know that I care greatly for you... and my feelings are not based on who you look like, or what you are..." Elijah replied carefully, and sadden to see the hurt still in her eyes.

"Elijah... I can never be her... I'm me... just me..." Elena told him honestly with tears in her eyes. "Why isn't that enough for anyone? It's always because of Katherine or now... Tatia..."

"Elena, I don't care for you because of Tatia... " Elijah tried gently again, but she backed further away. "I care for you because of you, alone. No one can ever take that away from you. Not even me. I'm no eternal boy who can't see past a lie that Katherine created for him."

"Did you know her too?" Elena spat suddenly, accusingly. She blinked as if he had slapped her when he looked down to his feet in reply.

"Elena, I'm not in love with Katherine... I never cared for her like I feel for you... Katherine was not capable of loving anyone but herself. I discovered that very early on. She mislead me and I allowed her too. She made me believe that she was in love with me, when in fact she had only used me to get next to my brother, Niklaus. That, however, was her mistake in the end.

Tatia was my first real love. I cared for her and she cared for me. But that was where the simplicity of our affair ended. She also had loved my brother Niklaus. She could never choose between us in the end. And she paid for loving us both, dearly.

You are right to follow your feeling to flee from me, Elena. Where I can offer you my love and devotion, also with it, for your family anyway, has a history of suffering and death as well. If you choose to return how I feel for you, know that I will most certainly never let you go, or step aside for a Salvatore."

Elena was breathless from his declaration. He had admitted his feelings for her, but also with a deadly and very real warning to stay away from him if she knew what was good for her.

"Elijah... I do care for you... but..." Elena broke up, crying openly now. "All of this... vampires... witches... who might want me dead... Yestuday I was just a kid... now... I can't do this. I'm sorry." Elena then ran from him, never looking back.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Elena knew that she shouldn't, but the next day she decided to seek Damon out and apologize for him seeing the after-kiss with Elijah. Elena had really come to care about Damon, but she had been lying to him and herself by ignoring her growing feelings for Elijah. She couldn`t be with him while feeling the way she did for someone else.

And while Damon had pretty much dumped her after witnessing her moment with Elijah, Elena wanted to finish their brief relationship with a proper goodbye. Elena knew she was in love with Elijah, no matter how much that might frighten her at the moment, but she still cared for Damon. Elena fell for him when there had been no one to reach out too. Or she had thought there had been no one else at the time. Elena, again, had been lying to herself though. It had made wanting the son of her foster father much easier to deal with.

Elijah, although seemingly gentle and caring and breathtakingly charming and seductive, was older than herself. Much older. In appearance, likely by ten years or more. In reality, he had over a thousand years on her. Elena felt overwhelmed when she thought about that too much.

Damon, of course, was a lot older than herself too. By over a hundred and fifty years likely. But he acted like he could actually be from her own time...

Elena stopped herself before knocking on the Salvatore front door. What was she really doing here? She didn't have to do this. She was trying to tell herself it had been to just set things right with Damon. Elena wanted to know that he didn't hate her for what she had done. But then what?

Elena knew she wanted to be with Elijah when it all came down to it. But everything was so complicated. He had withheld things from her for years. He most likely knew other things too but was holding back. As much as she was falling for him, Elena felt wary and wondered if she could ever begin to trust him.

With Damon, despite his passionate outburts, had been devoted to her utterly in their brief relationship. He never lied to her and told her everything she wanted to know.

There was the Katherine factor too... but... Elena had felt that Damon's feelings for her had been real. No part of her had wanted to believe otherwise.

Did she really want to let that go? Especially when she was so uncertain of where things were going with Elijah?

Elena felt almost dizzy with her mixed emotions. She had been right to walk away from Elijah last night. It had been the right thing to do because she wasn't certain if she wanted to let Damon go.

Elena finally knocked on the door and gasped in surprise at who greeted her. It was Elijah's sister Rebekah, drapped only in Damon's favorite black shirt.

"Oh, hello," The female vampire smiled her best smile at the hurt look her mere presence brought to Elena's face. "Damon stepped out... getting more wine and all..."

"Oh," replied Elena, fighting not to cry.

Just as she turned to leave, there was Stefan behind her. And for once, Elena was actually happy to see him.

She had been such a fool.

"Elena..." He said, catching on to the scene before him instantly. "Want to go for a walk?" He offered her his hand.

"Yeah..." She choked with a bitter smile. "I do."

* * *

"Damon cares for you, Elena," Stefan began, surprising her. "He just isn't capable of dealing with emotions... especially his own, very well. It usually results in him doing some really stupid things..."

"That's a comfort," Elena spat sarcastically. She took in the view of the lake where Stefan had taken her. It was at the park in center of town. She had forgotten how lovely it was here.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Stefan then said gently, making her look at him, really look at him. Maybe he was sincere. "I meant it. Damon does care. Just usually it isn't enough."

"I'm always falling for the wrong guy..." Elena admitted, surpsing herself. "I don't even know where things are going with Elijah, but I think I already lost him. I'm so screwed up... I screwed everything up by falling for Damon... Elijah would be perfect for me... but..."

"Elena, no vampire is a good choice for you..."

"That's what Elijah said... not in so many words. He said if I was smart, I wouldn't let myself feel something for him... he doesn't believe he's what I need."

"You should have fallen for me..." Stefan said suddenly.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Stefan... I did. But you lied to me..."

"I never told you everything about me upon our first meeting, Elena. But you shouldn't hold that against me. I barely knew you. Why would I tell you everything about me in one encounter?" He offered, making Elena really consider his words. Perhaps she had judged him too harshly.

"You just liked me because I looked like your old girlfriend..."

"No," Stefan said, insisting. "I liked you because of the way you smiled at me."

Elena blinked, half ashamed she had been so heartless with her judgement of Stefan Salvatore. But everything was different now. She had really liked Stefan, but she had let those feelings go because she knew they wouldn't go anywhere. And then she had fallen for Damon when she believed that Elijah didn't care about her.

"Stefan, please, don't..." Elena half pleaded. She couldn't deal with someone else trying to find a place in her heart.

"Well, give me this, then," Stefan said, again surprising her, when he stepped towards her, claiming her lips with his own. Elena was the first to break away, breathless.

"Admit it, Elena," Stefan challenged her. "You do like me. Maybe not like my brother, but you feel something for me. You felt it the moment we met. I did too."

"Stefan..." Elena began, shaking her head no. "I can't care about someone else and get lost in something I can't control... I did feel something... maybe I still do. But I'm not willing to walk down that road..."

"Why not?" Stefan insisted, making Elena look away from him, utterly confused. "My brother slept with someone else the first moment he was faced with the possibility of losing you... I wouldn't have given you up without trying, Elena. Elijah may be in love with you, too, Elena. But where is he? He let you go too... I wouldn't ever do that... I could never let someone as great as you slip away..."

"Stefan... I can't..." Elena said, backing tearfully away from him. "I know you care about me... but I just can't... I'm sorry."

Stefan then sighed loudly in frustration before vanishing into the night.

Elena watched him go, her heart breaking from complete loneliness. She had no one now who cared enough to stay.

Elena then turned to leave before stopping in her tracks.

"Elena, isn't it?"

She froze at the sight of the man. He was easily one of the most stunningly sexy men she had ever seen in her life, but something about him made her blood run cold.

"Who are you?" Elena choked.

"I'm Klaus," He offered her his hand, giving her a disarming smile.

Elena took it, and before she could blink, they were gone.

* * *

He felt her slipping away from him. Just as she became in his grasp, there was a risk of losing her.

Tonight, he'd confess his feelings for her, properly. He couldn't risk losing her. It was her choice, in the end, but he was helplessly devoted in what he felt for her.

The intensity of his feelings frightened even him, but, he had to remember how young Elena was, and that she still seemed to be holding back from him. She had just discovered a number of alarming things. Things that would rightfully frighten any normal teenager.

And he hated to admit it, but she also likely still had feelings for Damon Salvatore.

A part of him wanted to seek Damon out and rip his heart from his chest for daring to get in the way of what he wanted. Another part, a part that was all too used too losing the woman he loved, for one reason or another, was tempted to step aside if that was what Elena wanted. Let her realize on her own that despite how Damon may love her, he really wasn't right for her. She needed someone who was stable and that she could count on.

From what he heard of Damon Salvatore, he was nothing of these things.

Elijah entered Elena's rooms when no one answered. Something wasn't right.

_I've taken what's mine. You know she's mine, Elijah. Stay away. _

_Klaus. _

Elijah dropped the note. He had to find her before it was too late.

"Klaus... not again..." He whispered bitterly before vanishing into thin air.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Tennessee was the last place that Elena Flemming had ever thought she'd be. Klaus had taken her from Mystic Falls, she guessed, more than three days ago like a thief in the night. He still hadn't told her everything, like most members of his family apparently, only that she was very important for the next task he wanted to do. He promised he had no intention of killing her, and he would return her safely home when his business was done.

He gave her a room of her own in a very shady looking hotel they had arrived too in the middle of the night. Something she was grateful for. But he had also done something strange to her. He made her promise not to leave the room until he told her too. And Elena really tried too, but she couldn't do it.

A woman, not much older than herself, brought her food three times a day. She never said anything. Only dropped the food off and left. She had also brought Elena basic things like fresh towels, soap, and shampoo, and a hair blow dryer. And a few changes of clothes. Klaus had promised to look after her while she was with him and so far he had kept that promise without expecting anything from her. But Elena knew that shoe would drop soon.

He just wouldn't up and decide to randomly kidnap his father's foster ward out of the blue with no reason behind his actions.

But then apparently, from the little she had gotten from Elijah about Klaus, Elena knew that Klaus had a terrible history with Mikael. One that Elijah refused to really get into.

Elena knew that Mikael could be very distant, cold and very intense. Any kindness that Elena had ever known while growing up had come from nannies, never him. He was always polite and acted like he cared, but there was always the cold distance there.

Elena jumped when the door to her room suddenly opened and it was Klaus. He looked almost wild and she was certain his eyes were glowing in the dark of the room.

"What do you want?" She asked nervously, taking in his appearance. His shirt was half open and he looked unkempt from a disturbing sleep.

He smiled, enjoying how she backed away from his approach. "Always thinking the most nasty little things, aren't you, sweetheart?" He teased her, his eyes flashing. "That can come later. However, I want to look up an old friend. Time to go."

Klaus then grabbed her slim waist, pulling her to him like a limp doll and went with her out the door.

* * *

"Ray, remember me?"

The man inside the house had fear in his eyes. Elena could see it from her safe distance at the trees on the property.

"Look, please... I'll do whatever you want... please just..."

Klaus smiled upon seeing a woman and a teenage girl standing in the back ground. They looked terrified.

"Oh, you should have been home alone, Ray," scoffed Klaus with a deadly smile.

He approached the woman and the teenager with a sort of grace. One wouldn't guess that they were about to die.

Elena heard the screams from her hiding place and screamed aloud herself when she seen a thick smear of red blood slap against the living room window from inside the house.

Klaus appeared minutes later, his once fine coat smeared with blood. And he wasn't alone. This new man looked defeated as he did dangerous. Elena did the only thing she could do. She shook with fear.

* * *

"Where is she?"

Mikael looked up from the book he was reading with a slightly amused look to his face. Elijah had entered the library, looking threatening, but knowing it would do no good to attack him.

"Son, it is better this way. They are destined to die. They all are... just like Tatia..."

"She was your ward, father. And all for what? To feed her to the most deadly wolf in the bunch?"

"I regret her loss," Mikael began softly. "But it is for the best. She will keep Klaus busy and that will allow me to do what I do best."

Elijah stared at his father, finally understanding what Mikael's plan was, right from the moment he had stolen Elena from the life she should have lived. It may work, but it was at too high a cost.

Elena's life.

"You can't use her to kill him," Elijah whispered suddenly. "I beg you..."

"Beg all you want, boy," Mikael suddenly snapped. "Get in my way and I will kill you too."

The oldest vampire hunter in history then exited his family home, planning carefully who to kill first.

Elijah fought an overwhelming feeling of dread, and truly believed for a moment that he was never going to see Elena Flemming, ever again.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Why are we back here?" She asks, startled.

It had only been a couple of weeks, but it felt like a life time since she had been home. Mystic Falls no longer felt the same. It was where she had lost a dear part of herself. The part that had a normal life and still had her innocence and believed in her future.

"I promised I'd take you home, Elena," purred Klaus, stepping in front of her and towards the front door of the house.

"But this isn't my home... this is where Jeremy Gilbert lives with his... family..." Elena then turned towards the front door with a look of horror to her face. She knew what happened when Klaus took her calling to peoples houses.

The screams still haunted her in her nightmares. The blood... and what Klaus did to get her blood...

"Klaus, please, don't do this," Elena pleaded suddenly. "These people have never known me. I haven't lived here since I was a baby... If you hurt them, they really will have no idea why..."

The door then opened and Elena started shaking with fear. There stood an older looking woman. Likely about forty years old. She was likely Grayson Gilbert's new wife.

"May I help you?" She spoke softly, taking in the scene before her. She looked afraid for Elena upon realizing the girl didn't seem to want to be with the man who was in her company.

"Klaus, please..." Elena pleaded softly, looking into the woman's face with wide eyes. She hoped she understood what Elena hoped she would do. Run. Now.

"Oh, alright..." Klaus drawled, seemingly bored now. "But you owe me one, Elena. And I will collect..."

Klaus was then gone, leaving her alone with Mrs. Gilbert.

Without answering any questions, Elena ran from the scene, into the night. She couldn't go home. Klaus might be there now.

Elena decided to run to the only other people who seemed to care about her. She ran to the Salvatores house.

* * *

Stefan was the one to answer the front door. She gasped, relieved to see him. "Elena, what are you doing here... Everyone said you left school..."

"I wasn't..." Elena started in a rush. "I didn't..."

Elena then saw him at the staircase, surprised to see him standing there. He seemed to be avoiding her since he witnessed that kiss with Elijah. Stefan seemed to realize that Elena turning to him for help was now over upon her locking gazes with Damon. "I'll leave you be," Stefan told her quietly. Before Elena could protest, Stefan had vanished from sight.

"What are you doing here, Elena?" Damon spat, almost accusingly. "I thought you ran away with your new boyfriend..."

"What?" Elena replied, utterly confused. "No... Damon... I was kidnapped by Klaus... he's Elijah's... brother. He let me go though... after..." Elena trailed off, her emotions overwleming her. She began shaking and Damon was at her side in an instant.

They locked gazes again, and Elena felt heated at the feelings that still stired inside of her for Damon. Oh, what a complete mess her life was in.

"Elena," Damon whispered, cupping her face. He moved to kiss her and Elena stepped away from him. "Damon... I can't think about this right now..."

"Do you still feel something for me?" He asked suddenly, softly. Elena felt terrified to voice her feelings aloud. Elena knew she had no right to put any expectations on whatever was still left between herself and Damon after she kissed Elijah. As much as she knew she still felt something for Damon, Elena knew that she still had very strong feelings for Elijah that had a near dangerous pull on her. She couldn't commit to anything with Damon with those feelings still there between herself and Elijah.

"Damon, I don't regret kissing Elijah... I wanted too..." She voiced instead, hating how much she was hurting Damon. But he needed to know that she wasn't a very good choice for him. "I feel something for him... I can't really put words to what I'm feeling... but I do care for you... I know that I feel something for you... but, I can't be with you given how I feel for someone else."

Damon came closer to her and Elena couldn't resist giving into the feel of his lips. It was passionate and wonderful and it gave her a feeling of hope to know she was loved. "I don't care about Elijah," He whispered to her. "But I care about you, Elena. You are worth waiting for. If I have to wait forever to be with you, I will," He said seriously. "Stay here. You can have the room at the back of the house. Until you know what you're doing next."

Elena then watched him leave her with a shuddery breath. She hadn't the heart to confess what had happened with Stefan before she had been taken. The guilt continued to pile on and consume her. She had feelings for three men who were very dangerous and deadly to her. What had happened with Stefan meant more to her than she had wanted to admit. It was partly why she never went home. Not just because of Klaus. But because she didn't know if she could face Elijah anymore.

She had hurt him with her relationship with Damon and he had forgiven her. But could he forgive her this too? Knowing she really had no idea what she wanted. Elena felt her heart breaking and sailing high, all at once.

And Elijah had hurt her. He had withheld very important things from her, and Elena could sense that he was still doing so. How could she let that go and be with him?

Slowly, Elena made her way to her new bedroom for the night.

Hopefully tomorrow would make more sense.

* * *

The front door of the Salvatore house had opened with a shattering bang the next morning. Vampire and human could hear it alike.

"Where is Elena?" The voice was familiar and all so threatening. Elena felt a thrill upon hearing it and at the same time she wanted to flee. There was also pain within the voice and that pain quickly became her own.

It was Elijah. He had come for her. And here she was, hurting him again. Slowly, she walked down the corridor towards the front door, with courage she was lacking.

"She came to us," Damon spat viciously. "Don't you think you should let that tell you something? Your brother just nearly killed her..."

Elijah looked quickly away from the Salvatores upon hearing her foot steps. "Elena, what has happened? Why didn't you come to me?"

"Damon, Stefan, can you leave us alone?" Elena asked the brothers quietly.

Wordlessly, angrily, they exited, leaving the pair alone.

Elena stepped towards Elijah and stepped outside to stand in front of him.

He reached for her, arms length, after a long silence. Fear was obvious in his eyes. "I thought I lost you..." He whispered after a terribly long silence.

"I'm okay," She replied, reaching for him, touching the sides of his face. Elena longed to take away his pain, but she couldn't do it. Not quite yet. When he moved to kiss her, she allowed him to kiss the side of her face. Somehow, it became more intimate than the other kiss they had shared. His lips lingered there, his hands on her face and neck. He stepped away first, seeing her awkwardness.

"Come home with me," He encouraged her passionately after another long silence. "Klaus isn't there and I won't allow anyone to harm you."

Elena desired to say yes, more than anything. But then she felt the pull that Damon seemed to have over her. And lastly, she recalled how Elijah liked to hide things and not tell her everything.

Perhaps, rather painfully so, Elijah had unknowingly made the choice for her.

"If I come home, then what? Are you going to tell me everything about Klaus and why he needs my blood... He stole my blood Elijah... and he used it too..." Elena trailed off, unable to say it.

"I'm so sorry, Elena. I had hoped that Klaus would never learn about you... I wanted you to be able to live your life, free of all this..."

He reached for her again and Elena accepted his arms this time. She loved the feel of him, the smell of him. So often she wondered what he would feel and smell like without these damned suits attached to him. Helplessly, she breathed him in deep, and gave a sigh. Elena then quickly gasped, realizing what she had done. She tried to get away but he refused to let her go and locked eyes with her. She shook at the pleasure it brought her to have him this close. "Elena... you know what I told you..." He finally spoke huskily. "Is this what you want, or do you want him?"

She knew what he meant. Damon. And he wanted her to choose now.

"I can't go home, Elijah," Elena managed finally. "You and Mikael saw to that..."

"Damn you..." He hissed, crushing her to him in a heated kiss. It seemed to last forever before he released her and started for the door.

"When you are done with your childish games, Elena, come and find me," He growled, before vanishing into the day light.

Elena watched him leave, shuddering as her fears and her passion threated to consume her, heart and soul.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_"Give me your arm, love," Klaus taunted her. "If you do as I say, I won't make it hurt."_

_"No," Elena pleaded softly, staring in horror at the hybrid Klaus had already created with the use of her blood. He watched her back, seemingly getting off at seeing her fear. _

_"You left me with no choice," Klaus then told her softly, firmly. "Remember that, Elena." _

_He was then on her in an instant, ripping at her arms, biting into her flesh. She screamed but he did not care to stop. He never cared to stop. _

* * *

Elena bolted up from a dead sleep on the four poster bed she had been sleeping in. A scream nearly escaped her. But she forced herself to remember it was only a dream. Klaus didn't have her right now.

Slowly, Elena dressed, trying to fight out the urge to run again. She knew that she couldn't stay here though. Klaus will likely return for her and he would easily kill Stefan and Damon if they tried to stop him.

Elena knew she should have left with Elijah. He would protect her and keep her safe. But Elena couldn't do that without telling him, one way or another, where they personally stood with each other. She wasn't ready to choose anyone yet. She had to figure out the past first to know what kind of future she could expect to have.

Then, perhaps, she could choose the man she wanted to love her.

Elena went to school and promised herself to tell Damon and Stefan tonight that she was going to leave. It wasn't right to stay with them.

People were shocked to see her. Bonnie was nice though, Bonnie Bennett and sat with her at lunch.

Someone wasn't pleased to see her though. Caroline Forbes. "Have you stolen anyone elses boyfriends, Elena?" She hissed across the parking lot.

Elena thought to Stefan and she wanted to tell Caroline she wasn't interested in him. But it would be a lie to say she wasn't attracted to him. She was. But part of Elena knew, that deep down, she felt more strongly for Damon, and did not want to be with Stefan.

Elena just watched Caroline sadly leave, feeling sorry for the girl who had obviously loved a guy who never loved her back.

* * *

Elena arrived back to the Salvatore house, already deciding where she was going to go to next. It had surprised her, but she knew this choice was for the best.

She couldn't go back home, no matter how much she desired to run to Elijah and let him take care of everything. Everything there had been a carefully made up lie. There was too strong a chance that Mikael could return there or Klaus.

_"Elena, could I see you after class?"_

_Elena was surprised to be asked to stay behind by the history teacher. She hadn't done anything wrong. She even managed to get her homework done despite how terrible things had been. _

_"Yes, Mr. Saltzman?"_

_Alaric looked up from his desk, "Elena, how much do you know about your family history?"_

_The question scared her. Why would he want to know? Why would he care? _

_"Is this for some project..." Elena trailed off carefully._

_"No," Alaric replied honestly. "I'm asking you because I think you might actually be my stepdaughter... well, technically, anyway."_

_"What?" Elena really didn't know what to say._

_"Was your birth mothers name Isobel Flemming?" _

_Elena swollowed nervously. She knew so little about her mother, but she did know her name. "Yes," Elena replied softly. "She had me when she was really young. I was then given away."_

_"Elena, I really think you and I need to talk somewhere else. Don't you think Klaus won't be still looking for you?"_

_"How do you know about him..." Elena said suddenly, accusingly. _

_"I'm a vampire hunter," the teacher said. Her mouth fell open. "And I would be very happy to remove Klaus from your life, Elena."_

_"What can I do to help?" _

* * *

"Damon, I know that I can stay here, but it's better this way," Elena pleaded her case uneasily to the Salvatore brothers. Both of them hated that she had chosen to leave.

Stefan looked up from the sofa. "Is it because of us?" He asked gently.

"What do you mean, us?" Damon then snapped at his brother.

"Damon, I never told you..." Elena began again, hating herself for lying. "But Stefan kissed me before I was kidnapped... and I let him. It was after we... after you saw me kissing Elijah..." Elena winced at how horrible she sounded. "And Elijah had been lying to me... and I felt that I had lost everything."

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Damon, shooting daggers from his eyes at his brother across the living room. "You just couldn't take it she wanted me, could you?" He accused savagely.

"Damon, you left her," Stefan spoke softly, reminding Damon of his great mistake. "She did nothing wrong. She thought you dumped her. And it's not about us, it's what Elena wants."

Elena refused to met the gaze of either brother. "I'll still keep in touch. I'll still be going to school too."

Elena sighed heavily, saying nothing else. Despite the mixed up feelings she was having, there was some finality to her leaving the Salvatore house. Elena couldn't help but feel she was saying goodbye to the both of them. It was for the best, after all. She couldn't be with either of them, not with how she was still feeling for Elijah.

Her love life had to take a back seat. For now, anyway.

* * *

"She was beautiful," Elena said, rather begrudgingly, gazing at a wedding photo of a very young couple. The groom, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, sandy thick hair, was obviously her history teacher. The bride was dressed in a simple white dress and her hair was down. Long and thick and she had dark eyes. Elena smiled a bit when she realized she looked like Isobel. Her mother.

"Smart as a whip, too," Alaric beamed, rather proudly. "I loved her the first moment I saw her. The first day of freshman year. We were married the next year. We both wanted it despite what our parents thought. Too young and all that..."

"Where is she..." Elena trailed off, quickly realizing that whatever became of Isobel Flemming, she was no longer living with the husband she had married so young. "I'm sorry," Elena then winced, seeing the hurt in Alaric's eyes.

"I really don't know... I came here, originally, because Isobel was from here. Her parents are still here. Her sister had married and moved to New York though. I think I came here, hoping to find her. Her parents haven't seen her though since the year she vanished from our house. That was three years ago."

"Did she ever mention ... me?" Elena asked softly. She hated pressing, but she felt the need to know so strongly, it was like the need to breath.

"I found a picture of a baby girl a year after we got married in her school trunk. I asked her if it was a relative, because I couldn't get over how the baby looked like her. At first, Isobel lied, saying her sister Janey had a baby while in high school and gave it away. It was a month later we visited my brother Sam who just had a new baby with his wife... Isobel broke down upon seeing her and told me everything. She was just a kid when she had you. Fifteen," Alaric trailed off. Obviously the memory still pained him.

"Did she ever say who my father was..."

"No," Alaric replied, and Elena believed him. "She said he was just some kid she dated in high school. They lost touch when she went to college. Sorry, Elena."

"No," Elena said, shaking her head. "It's the most truth anyone has given me about my past. My foster father never told me anything that was true. Stefan Salvatore and his brother Stefan just told me that I'm related to their long dead girlfriend, Katherine Pierce, and apparently I looked just like her."

"Katherine Pierce?" Alaric repeated with a hiss. "You mean... Katerina Petrova?"

"Yeah." Elena agreed. "You know of her?"

"She was from the originals era... apparently. She supposedly was killed in a fire in Mystic Falls in 1864. After turning two locals, Stefan and Damon Salvatore."

Elena seemed shocked at this news. "They never told me she made them vampires... And she was from the originals era? What does that mean? Did she know the first family?" She insisted, wondering why Elijah never mentioned how well he knew her.

"Katherine was engaged to a wealthy nobelman in England... Klaus, when she was still human. But then she caught the eye of his brother, Elijah, who made her a vampire upon learning what Klaus had planned for her. That was five hundred years ago. They faught over her for hundreds of years."

Elena became visably upset. Elijah hadn't told her... yet another thing he kept hidden. He had loved Katherine that long, and he made her a vampire...

"You okay?" asked Alaric after a long silence.

"Yeah," Elena replied, feeling hesitant with her answer. "I just... it's been a long day... a long week, actually."

"Stay away from them, Elena," Alaric warned gently. "It was a vampire that killed your mother. You can't trust them."

Elena felt as if he had slapped her. "Who killed her?" She managed to whisper.

"Your_ friend_... Elena, it was Elijah..."

"No, it can't be... he wouldn't..."

"He did, Elena," Alaric insisted. "And if you're not careful, he'll kill you too... just like Katherine... just like my wife..."

Elena felt her world spinning. She then fainted and knew no more.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Elena..." Elijah couldn't hide it. He was stunned to see her at Mikael's home, which was once her home as well, not so long ago.

"Why the hell did you lie to me!" Was her response, giving him a shove with bright, angry tears in her dark eyes. It wasn't really a question, but an angry, blind declaration of what was obviously deeply hurting her.

Elijah truly had no idea where to begin. There was so much that she didn't know.

"You killed her, you monster... and you kissed me... you murdered her and you... you made me feel..." Elena then gasped, realizing fully the extent of her feelings for this man, this vampire, and he was the one who had killed her own mother and yet had nerve to care about her... to make her care back... And something deep inside Elena felt as if it was breaking apart forever.

"Who did I kill, _Elena_?" demanded Elijah hotly, grasping hold of her shoulders, locking her tightly to him.

"My mother!" Elena cried helplessly, heartbrokenly so. "Do you even remember her? Isobel Flemming?"

"Elena... I knew your mother... and in a sense, I did kill her... but you need to know everything first."

Slowly, Elijah released her and looked back at her with sad eyes. "It must have been Alaric who told you..." Elijah guessed softly.

"It doesn't matter who..."

"Elena, your mother was twenty-eight when I met her. She was very good at finding things, and through a mutual friend... she found me. She saught me out and came to me. I only listened to her because I knew right away of what blood line she came from. I was intrigued by her, mainly because I was told that Katerina never had any children. Of course, that wasn't so. I entertained Isobel's questions and she truly was interested in learning about our way. I admired her need for study and her curiousity. But I soon came to learn that she wanted me to make her a vampire and that was where her interest was truly based. I compelled her to leave me sight and forget everything. I felt betrayed by her and I refused to turn her."

Elijah took a moment to lead Elena into the living room and motioned for her to sit. With furious eyes, she followed and sat with him.

"That should have been the end of it. I knew she returned to her life with her husband. But unfortunately my brother Niklaus learned of Isobel and of her family connection to the Petrova line. He saught her out and promised her what she wanted most. She left her husband to follow him. My brother finds these kinds of things amusing, you see. And his hate of Katerina only gave him the reason he needed to justify in playing with Isobel as he did. He used her in every way possible that a man can use a woman. He tortured her for months before he saw fit to leave her to die. I only learned of this, before it was too late. When I found your mother, she was dying. I felt responsible for her fate. I should have known better than tie myself to a Petrova in any way for fear of what my brother would do. He faulted me for the loss of Katerina and for how we both lost the first Petrova we knew. I did the only thing I knew to save her. I had hoped it would reunite her with the husband she left behind."

Elena was staring wide eyed at Elijah, not knowing what to think. "Then what happened?" She whispered.

"I drained her after giving her my blood. I made her what she is to this day. A vampire who cares about nothing accept her own wants and desires. It is how I know your teacher... you see, he discovered what happened and came to hunt me. I gave him a choice. Walk away, or I would kill him. I knew what he was. His family has hunted mine for decades. He came after me and I did kill him... but I never noticed his protection ring. It saves humans from supernatural death. So, if you insist on judging me, Elena. Please do so. As now you know all."

He moved to stand and she caught his arm. "Please," She began softly. "Please try to see it from my point of view."

"Elena, I told you what you wanted to hear... if you choose to think of me as the monster your history teacher painted of me for you, then so be it, and he has the revenge he has saught for seven years," Elijah said in a shaky voice. "If I have truly lost you..."

Instictively, Elena reached out to him and cupped his face with her small hands. "Elijah... I'm so sorry... I should have came here differently and gave you a chance to explain right away."

"It is not your instict to trust me... Elena... I understand."

Again, more hurt and she was the cause. Elena knew she loved him then. There was no denial anymore. "Where can we go from here..." She spoke with tears forming in her eyes. Her voice was a plea.

"It can't be me, Elena. I have done too much to hurt you, and you know that."

"But what if that's what I want anyway?" Elena countered, trying to smile despite her pain.

Elijah cupped her face in return and leaned in to kiss her. His lips were light and sweet and fit so right against her own. "I have spent the better part of these last few months wanting something that can never be mine. I am not what you need, Elena. I know that now. Whatever we have shared, it was a mistake. You need to finish growing up and graduate and find the love that every girl should have the chance to have. You need to go and live your life, far from this house and this family."

Elena looked away, only away for a moment and she looked back and he was gone. Her eyes reflected her shock and her heart was shattering with a pain it never felt before.

She finally realized who she wanted and now he was gone. The man she loved was gone. She didn't need to go upstairs and check. She just felt his absence and knew it was final. He had made her choice for her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Elena returned to Mr. Saltzman's home and settled into the bedroom he had given her for her stay. She fell asleep thinking about nothing accept Elijah and she had him waiting for her inside of her dreams as well.

_"It's a flower that used to grow inside my fathers gardens, years and years ago," The kind man whispered to her. He gave it into her small palm. Elena sniffed it and then let out a sneeze. "Oh, what's that," cried the five year old girl, giggling at the softness of the flower against her soft cheek. "It smells so pretty," the child then said, staring at the kind man in awe. _

_"It's a simple red rose. It's been around for some time, just like me," the man spoke teasingly, enjoying the childish laughter she spared him. _

_"Oh, you can't be that old," Elena declared, deciding she was going to grow up and marry this man. This kind man that liked to show her how lovely everything was around her. "You don't look a day over thirty."_

_"If you only knew, little Elena," He chuckled. _

_"Do you know where my mommy is, Elijah?" She asked him suddenly, surprising him. "My other friends... they have mommies, but... I don't know where mine is. I don't think I have a daddy, either," She finished sadly and Elijah hugged her, feeling for the child. _

_"Elena, I'm certain you had a mommy and a daddy... we all do, in the begining. I believe she went away. You see, my mommy went away too. Years and years ago, my mother died. My father, you know."_

_"Did my mommy die too, Elijah?" Elena asked him earnestly. _

_"Yes, I know she did, Elena. Sometimes, mommies do that. Even when we don't want them too. I bet she loved you though, Elena. Very much!"_

_The child seemed comforted by his words, even if it wasn't the complete truth. It broke a piece of what he considered to be a long cold heart to realize that no one had ever likely given this child any comforting words before. "Thank you, Elijah! Thank you for being so nice to me!" She replied after a long moment. "I'll never forget it!"_

_With that, Elijah gave her a sad smile, when he realized how young this child was again. The odds were she would not remember this day or this conversation. She might not even remember him yet. But he would return again, if anything, to ensure that Mikael would be treating her right while she was in his charge. Perhaps, Elena would remember him then. _

_"I'll never forget it, either," He promised her, being haunted by his first memory of his first love. She had been just a little child and he himself nothing greater when he had vowed to always be there for the Petrova girl. Always and forever. _

_"Always and forever?" Elena insisted, holding out a tiny hand to him, chilling Elijah with the feeling of humanity to his very core. He had never cared this much, not really cared... not since her. And Elijah knew it then he'd always watch out for this girl. He'd give her the promise she saught, even though she had no way of knowing what it meant to him from a different time, a different life. A life where he still knew how to care for another human being as a friend. _

_"Of course, Elena," Elijah whispered, accepting her tiny hand shake. "Always and forever."_

* * *

Eighteen year old Elena Flemming woke up the next morning, still haunted by thoughts of roses and that pledge she had entered into with the Elijah in her dream. It was more than a dream, she could feel it. It was a memory.

In his way, he had told her about Isobel, long ago. But she had been so very young then. How could he have told her what had really happened?

In the few times she had seen Elijah while growing up, and she was recalling more and more of them, she had been mainly a child and she had seen him with a child's eyes. Then, She had loved him with a child's love. It had been so wrong to expect him to spill everything to her, long before now. There were things one could never say to a child. And Elena's childhood had been filled with things one couldn't say.

Could she do what he wanted her to do? Move on and find love with someone else? Have a life that didn't involve him?

Elena wanted to hate him for leaving her, for leaving Mystic Falls, but she couldn't. Perhaps, if she took it day by day, things would get better. She would forget the feelings that Elijah brought out in her and let herself care for someone else.

Somehow, Elena just didn't see that happening.

* * *

A few weeks had passed and Elena had managed to become good friends with a few people in Mystic Falls. Matt Donavan and Bonnie Bennett were quickly becoming the greatest friends she had ever had.

Stefan Salvatore had somehow managed to work his way into her life again after Elena shutting both brothers out of her life. They had spent some time together after school, but Elena knew she wasn't falling in love with him. She intended to end what was happening between them before it really began, but he had stopped her with a kiss and then another which had taken her breath away. It would be complicated for them to be together because of Damon, but what she was feeling for Stefan was new and something she was afraid to let go of now. If she let it go, if she let him go, she would have no one. That was something Elena wasn't ready to face.

It was so selfish of her, but she was tired of having no one.

Stefan loved her and Elena felt a burning fire when she was with him. How could it be wrong to want passion in her life?

Elena answered the phone at the Saltzman house, choosing to remain when Alaric offered to be her new guardian.

"Stefan, what is it?"

"Damon found something that might help kill Klaus, Elena."

"What? That's wonderful... how?"

"A weapon that can kill originals... all of the originals..."

Elena felt her face fall in horror. She didn't want to kill them all. Just one.

"But Stefan... the others... they haven't done anything to me. I don't want them dead. Elijah has never hurt me, or his sister. He has siblings I haven't even met before..."

"Elena..." Stefan trailed off, knowing that Elijah was a sensitive subject to her and the originals all together. "Look, we'll talk tonight. Can you come here?"

"Sure... I just have to be careful. Alaric is home tonight."

"He still doesn't like us, huh?"

"He's a vampire hunter, Stefan. He'll never like you."

"Good point," Stefan smirked.

The call ended and Elena got ready to go to the Salvatore house.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Elena stared at the wooden stakes, slightly horrified. These weapons were enough to kill the only family she had ever had belonged too. "I want to kill Klaus... not this..." She declared, taking in the looks from Stefan and Damon both.

"But they are all a threat to you, Elena," argued Damon. "As long as they keep ties to Klaus, you are a target."

"I can't kill anyone who hasn't harmed me. I won't do it," Elena argued back.

"But Elijah has harmed you. His association with you is why Klaus found you the first time," Stefan tried to reason gently.

"Stefan, I won't be involved with something like this," Elena shot back with finality. "If you love me, you won't expect me to do this."

Damon stared at them with cold, hateful eyes. Elena sighed unhappily. She briefly wondered if this was ever going to work. Wasn't she allowed to be happy?

"It's settled then," Stefan declared, giving in. "Elena doesn't help us with this."

Elena sighed, she couldn't believe that Stefan would want to kill anyone who never harmed him.

"We have to do this, Elena," He tried to reason.

"She still has the hots for Elijah the original," Damon hissed bitterly. "Watch your back, bro', you're about to lose_ your _girl."

"Damon," snapped Elena, losing her patience. "I can't do this," She then said to Stefan, near tears, before hurrying from the Salvatore house.

Stefan went after her and caught up with her at the end of the drive way. "Will he never leave us alone?" Elena said it like a plea.

"I love you," whispered Stefan, kissing the top of her head, startiling her with his words. "It's going to be okay."

Elena leaned into his arms, briefly wondering if it was ever going to be okay. And she couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't tell him that she loved him back.

"I'm going home," said Elena, pushing Stefan away suddenly.

"Are we... okay, Elena?"

Elena looked back at him, helplessly. "I don't know... I can't let this go, Stefan. You're threatening to harm people that I care about..."

"Elijah... all the originals are a threat to you... can't you see that?"

"No," Elena replied back simply. "I have to go..."

Elena then left, and Stefan let her go.

* * *

Elena found herself at Mikael's house, pausing briefly before stepping onto the property and hurrying towards the house.

She knocked on the front door, surprised to see the maid, Anna. "Anna, is Elijah here?"

Something told her that he wasn't, but she had to know where he was.

"No, Elijah left last week for New York, Elena," said Anna softly. She really sounded pleased to see her.

"Oh," whispered Elena, letting the hurt sink in. She did this. He left because of her. She wouldn't admit her feelings sooner and now he was gone. "Do you know how I can contact him, Anna?" said Elena after a long silence. "I really have to tell him something."

"Oh, come in," said Anna. "I can get you the address."

Following her inside, Elena quickly realized that was her first mistake.

"Hello, little sweet Elena," purred a familiar voice. "So good of my brother to finally leave us all alone."

"Klaus..." whispered Elena, stunned.

She gasped in shock upon seeing Mikael stepping into the room. He had been absent for the last several months from the family home. "Mikael..." Elena began carefully. "Please, don't let him hurt me..."

"He doesn't want to hurt you, my dear," Mikael replied, making Elena all the more horrified by his tone. "You are going to help my son with obtaining what he wants most."

A woman then stepped into the corridor with them. Elena had never seen her before. "Elena, meet my wife, Esther," said Mikael. "She'll need just some of your blood."

Elena stared at the woman. She had sharp, exotic features with wild looking blond hair. She appeared to be younger than Mikael. She wondered if she was a vampire too.

"What are you going to do?" insisted Elena as she grasped Elena by her wrist.

"No need to worry, my dear," She said soothingly. "I'm a witch, and I'm about to do something that is going to help us all."

Elena felt her skin splitting in two and she screamed as Esther elevated her blood into a tube that she was holding onto.

"Gentle, mother," spoke Klaus softly. "I do wish for this one to last a while."

Esther only smiled patiently at her son as Elena continued to scream.

* * *

Damon Salvatore hadn't heard anything of Katherine's doppelganger, or _little evil twin_, as Damon liked to think of her as, in over a week. She had an angel's face that drew you in and then she stabbed you in the back if you dared to care too much by jumping into the sack with the next vampire that came along. Okay, so he didn't know if Elena had started sleeping with Stefan yet, but they did have a _thing. _That much was obvious. If it wasn't Stefan it was Elijah that had her interest. Damon was tired of catching up and trying to be something for her.

He lifted the red haired woman off of him and got up from his bed upon hearing something from down stairs. Damon took a moment to look back, taking pleasure from the view of her firm, naked form. She was just a woman he picked up while walking down the street. Something to release a little stress with. Nothing more.

"Don't go anywhere," Damon compelled the beauty.

Damon never made it out of his bedroom before Elijah's hands were around his neck. "Where is Elena?" He hissed.

"Wouldn't you like to know..." glared Damon darkly, seemingly failing to care that Elijah seemed to be about ready to rip his head off.

Elijah dropped him to the floor, hard. Damon continued to glare furiously. "Why the hell should I know where she is. She's my brother's problem now, not mine!"

"Damon, now isn't the time to test my patience..."

"She moved in with the local vampire hunter, Alaric Saltzman and has been making time with my little brother. That's all I know..." Damon hissed, enjoying the furious look on Elijah's face at the mention of his brother and Elena. "Yeah, that's right. She ditched me too, you messed with her head and she didn't know what to do anymore, so she thinks the good guy is the way to go now. How does it feel to be passed up for yet another vampire?"

Elijah responded by punching Damon in the face. The blow sent Damon crashing into the near by stairs. "Now Damon, give me a better answer. I already found the Saltzman house, and Elena hasn't been there for two days. And she isn't here, in Stefan's _bedroom_ _with_ Stefan, and she hasn't been to school..."

"What about your place?" Damon countered mockingly, hating the Stefan comment about Elena and his bedroom. "Isn't it likely your family has her_ again_?"

"Klaus isn't in Mystic Falls..."

"He never left, you _ancient, dimwitted_..."

"Damon..."

Before Damon could bite out another comment, Elijah was gone, wondering if perhaps the younger vampire had been right about the dimwitted part after all. How could he have not checked the most obvious place?

* * *

Elijah came upon the scene to see Elena sobbing on the floor, bleeding from her wrist. The front door burst open, revealing Elijah.

"Brother, you are just in time to say goodbye," Klaus drawled carefully, with a satisfied smile. "Where are mother and father?" Elijah hissed.

"How did you find out that she was back, brother?" Klaus insisted instead.

"I have my ways... I know witches too, brother," Elijah then finished.

"She is mine, brother. We are linked by blood," Klaus went on warningly. "If anything should happen to me, our sweet new doppelganger will be no more."

"Elena will remain here, Niklaus," Elijah continued, interupting him. "You have no reason to take her, as long as you get what you want."

"But I always get what I want, don't I?" sneered Klaus.

_"Come on, Katerina," Klaus urged the young girl. "One more kiss... we are to be married..."_

_"No," The girl spat, trying to get away. "I will not give up my honor."_

_"Oh, but my sweet, you will give me your honor, your taste, your touch... everything." _

_"No, I don't want to be with you anymore," cried the girl. "You lied to me. You made me believe you cared... that you loved me... but you're just a monster."_

_Hearing those words from that mouth, that face, proved to be too much. Klaus struck her viciously to the neck, lunging with barred vampire teeth, showing Katerina what a monster he could really be. _

"You'll not do this again, Niklaus," Elijah insisted, stepping over to Elena and helping her up. "If you ever really loved_ Katerina, Tatia_... you`ll not do this again..."

"Why not?" growled Klaus with such hatred. "So you can have her, again?"

"They are not the same person, brother," said Elijah softly, trying a different approch. "You know that."

Elena just stared at these two ancient brothers, deciding that she was perhaps apart of something even greater and more ancient than she could ever truly believe possible. "Let Elena be free... give her her life..."

"She is bound to me, Elijah..." Klaus argued. "And you will not win this one away like you did the others."

"Do you really believe that I would let you do this without some sort of plan in place to save her?" countered Elijah darkly. "Linked you may be, but Elena is also linked to me. I have been getting the servants to give Elena my blood since she was a child. She takes it with every meal."

"No," Klaus started, understanding what Elijah was getting at. "Don't do this, Elijah... the doppelganger must be kept safe..."

Elena suddenly didn't know what to think or what to believe anymore. Elijah had been secretly feeding her his blood? For years? For what purpose? But meeting Klaus's terrified gaze, she just knew the answer right away. Elijah was not going to allow his brother to take her blood for his own uses... not ever.

One brother before her wanted her to live... the other brother... the one she loved more than anything... wanted her to die to keep her safe.

_Always and forever_.

The words now seemed like a knife to her heart.

She wanted to live, but not like that. Not ever. Elena then decided to do the only thing she could do. She ran like hell.

Elena made it as far as the front gate before he was on her. "Forgive me, _Elena_," He whispered desperately in her ear.

"Elijah, no, please," She begged. "There has to be another way..."

"I love you," He told her softly, sweetly, holding her close like a child would hold a favorite doll.

"No," She begged again, horrified now. "Not like this..."

"Always and forever..." He said, his words a vow from the past, _their_ past.

Elena shuddered, knowing death was near. She could feel it, see it in his eyes that he was just that desperate to hold on to her. In a way, she loved him for it, for his devotion, but she also hated him. She would always hate him for taking away her life while finally admitting his love.

"Always and forever," She spoke softly, before shutting her eyes tightly. Elena Flemming never even got to take a last breath before his gentle hands snapped her neck.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Elena felt as if she was drifting through time. She had felt Elijah snap her neck and then there was complete nothingness. Just a deep void of space.

Did she become a vampire or was she really dead? Elena could still sense Elijah close to her , and she could smell and feel him, but she was alone in this place. He was crying out to her, calling her back. She wanted to run into his arms and simply show him how much she loved him, but she couldn't. She couldn't leave here.

_"Hello Elena," _said a voice, her own voice.

Elena turned around to what she would have guessed was her reflection. Accept this one had blond highlights to her brown hair as if it had been kissed by the sun. She first then guessed she was looking at Katherine, but then Elena knew that wasn't so. Katherine was her exact copy but her long brown hair was curly. Elena's own was strait. Who was this?

_"Who are you?" _

_"I'm Tatia De Petrova, and I assume you are Elena Gilbert, one of my doppelgangers... how many are there now?"_

_"I'm Elena... Elena Flemming... I wasn't raised by the Gilberts... and I'm the second doppelganger... I guess..." Elena finished, sounding confused. _

_"Ah, that's because the Mikaelson's stole you... hmmm?" _

_"Mikael himself took me from the Gilberts... he told me they died... but I later found out otherwise."_

_"He killed my family too... when they decided what they were going to do to me... but good Elijah took my child and hid her away. He saved her and gave her to a good family."_

_"A child?" Elena whispered, suddenly horrified. She couldn't take hearing that Elijah was actually an ancestor of hers or something like that. _

_"Oh, do not fret. Elijah or none of his family were my baby's father. I knew them all while growing up, but I was first married off to another man, although I never loved him. He was good to me though and kind, and kind to our daughter. He went off to fight the wolves though one night and never returned. Elijah and Niklaus both wanted to marry me after that, but my family cast me off as did my husband's family. I was a young widow with no hier for my husband's family so I was no longer a good choice for a rich man to marry. No good profit could be made by a new marriage for me. So Mikael and Esther forbid their sons to take me as a wife. When Elijah vowed to marry me reguardless, Mikael came hunting for me. He killed me and used my blood to turn his children into monsters. So you see, Elijah is tied to our clan through death, so your death could not be prevented. We all die, every time. First the young Katerina, now you... the next one too..."_

_"No," Elena insisted, crushed at the thought that this was it, final. "I don't want to die, I want to go back."_

_"If you go back, you'll be like them... there is no going back," said Tatia. _

_"There has to be a way... I don't want to be a vampire... but I don't want to die..."_

_"How about both?" said another voice. _

_Elena recognized this one and flinched at the sight of who it belonged too. _

_Esther._

_"What do you mean?" whispered Elena._

_"Your life will be tied to a human life, but you'll also be a vampire... you will be able to assist your caregiver with his life's mission."_

_"I don't understand..."_

_"Of course you do," smirked Esther. "You will be my greatest ally, Elena. They all trust you..."_

_"No, don't do it," pleaded Tatia, suddenly catching on._

_"No, please..." begged Elena._

_"I will not make you sorry, Elena..." smiled Esther. _Esther was the last thing Elena seen before she woke up with a startiling gasp in Elijah's arms.

* * *

"You changed her!"

Elena winced at the sound of the rage behind that voice. It was Klaus. And he was furious with Elijah for what he had done.

"I saved_ her_... mother would have never left her alone, you yourself would have never given her a moment's peace, with your expecting her to help breed your hybrids," snapped Elijah darkly.

"Elijah..."

Elijah looked down to the woman calling his name. "My love... I am so sorry for what I have done," He declared softly. Elena felt his tears on her face and her heart broke for his pain. But that meant nothing now. She knew what she had to do.

With vampire teeth exposed, Elena lunged for Klaus. She had to kill this hybrid who wanted to destroy her, to destroy everyone. She could smell his blood from here and she thirsted for it. "_Elena_!" Elijah cried, barely being able to hold her back. Feeling her slipping away, Elijah met the frightened gaze of his brother. "Niklaus... she's a_ hunter_..._ run_..."

As Elena managed to break free of Elijah's grip, she flew to a wooden chair near by, destroying it, and taking a chair leg she sped after the hybrid with red eyes that only saw it's intended target.

She would kill them all. They all had to die.

"_Mother_... what have you done..." whispered Elijah aloud as he helplessly followed after Elena and his brother. His brother would be dead before he could reach them. As much as he had grown to hate Niklaus for his crimes, he didn't want this for his brother. He had sincerely longed for a new chance at peace. But he would never leave Elena alone. His actions had now reduced them all to this. And they would all die for it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_"I'm Niklaus... and you are..." The tall young man asked the dark beauty before him. _

_"Don't you remember me, Nik?" She teased delightfully so. _

_He stared into those familiar dark eyes and gasped in surprise. "It's you, Tatia..."_

_"I've grown up, you know," She offered sweetly. "I'm not a child anymore."_

_She drew closer, seeking their first kiss. _

_"You certainly are no child," Niklaus agreed, seeking the lips of the girl he would love for endless time. _

She found him in the gardens behind the Mikaelson home. His blood smelled amazing and strong. In that moment of peacefulness, he actually reminded her of Elijah. He sincerely seemed to be enjoying the quiet beauty the night offered in the thick flower gardens.

"I saw you first you know, not him," Klaus began, surprising her. "You were crying for your mother when Mikael brought you here. I was the only one who could get you to quiet."

Elena was suddenly overcome with the early memory. She remembered a pretty, kind blond man saying soothing words, promising it would get better. But it never got better. Not until she found Elijah again. Now that was all gone too. She was a vampire, a hunter, and she would know no peace until they were all dead. Elena began to stalk her pray.

"You lied to me though," She hissed. "It never got better. Now, I'm this. I've been reduced to this..." Elena finished bitterly.

"I never wanted this for you, Elena. You should have given me a chance. I would have been good to you, you know," Klaus says wistfully.

"You never wanted me. You wanted a slave."

"I know how to love, Elena. You would have been loved," He whispers into the depths of her eyes. For a moment, she really believes him, and feels sad for not seeing it sooner. Klaus, when it came down to it, was just wanting someone to love him. She knew the feeling well.

"I believe you," Elena admits after a long silence. It seems to soothe him. It pleases her to see him have some peace.

"Well," He then starts. "What are you waiting for. Do what my mother bid you to do."

"I'm sorry," Elena replies, surprising him. He believes her and it seems to give her peace too.

It takes only a second, but her teeth find his neck and she drains him completely. His blood sings to her, leaving her wanting more. His body falls at her feet.

She turns around to see the surprised face of the man she loves. "You can feed from other vampires," Elijah whispers, half amazed, half broken from grief at what he had just witnessed.

"Any blood will do, I think," Elena admits, wiping the red from her mouth.

"Well, no use in waiting, Elena. Do it," Elijah offers, coming closer.

"No," She shakes her head wildly, although she lusts for the blood she smells. She can already smell him from here. "I won't do it, Elijah," says the girl that she was, but the vampire in her wants his blood. Elena's new vampire eyes stare back.

"You want to do it, you will do it," Elijah promises, and this very much upsets her. "Do it soon, Elena. You might get your life back, if you do it now."

"I'll never be human again," Elena admits. "I'll die when my counterpart dies."

"You don't know that," Elijah argues, coming closer.

"Don't," Elena cries when he tries to touch her. "I don't have any control."

"Then use me, kill me, Elena," Elijah offers softly. "Give into the impulses."

Shaking, Elena finally crushes her lips against his. He takes her away and takes the lead. He has her in his bedroom, her legs high. Elena then forces him to the floor, naked, and rides him until sunlight is seen hitting her face.

The smell of him then is too much. She wants his blood and gives in. Elena digs her teeth into his bare leg, enjoying the taste, sight, smell the body before her all offers.

Before she takes too much, she forces herself to stop. She can`t kill him, not yet.

She grabs her clothes and flees before he wakes.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

She fled and traveled as far as she could run from the heep that she had left Elijah in. He was still alive. It was all that mattered to her now. She had did what he said. Use him, and she intended to kill him.

It wasn't what she had pictured their first time to be like. Quick, brutal, savage... He had given it as hard as she gave it. Elena hated to admit how much it had all excited her. The pleasure alone had made her head spin. She wanted more, she wanted_ him_. But Elijah had to live. If anything, because despite her need to kill him, she loved him.

The Salvatore house seemed quiet, but who she saught was still inside.

He'd have to do. Elena promised herself she'd try not to kill him. Stefan didn't deserve to die to forfill her need for blood.

"Elena," He began, then stopping. "You are a vampire... I didn't want to believe it. Damon said..."

"Just shut up," Her voice was an angry plea as she crashed her lips against his.

* * *

The bed was broken within minutes, but the taste of blood was so near. Elena nearly purred as she drank from him. He tasted so sweet!

Just as the life was slipping away, something heaved her barely covered form from her victim. She hissed, blinded with her need for blood. Elena had only wanted a little more.

Her dark eyes focused, staring at Elijah in disbelief. He had found her, and like this... no. no. no. Elena felt shame at what she had just done. She had went from one bed to the other, intent on killing both.

"_Elijah_..." Elena whispered helplessly. "I am _so_ sorry... I didn't _mean _it..."

"You did_ mean it_, Elena," He said, his words cutting her to the core. "Take it as your first lesson at being a vampire... you always mean it..._ always_... Come." He surprisingly offered her his hand.

"Elijah... no," She started quickly. "You can't trust me... I could kill you..."

"And you've nearly killed Stefan. You need to kill _something_, Elena. You need to hunt. Let me help you."

Hesitantly, Elena took his hand.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Just breath, it's alright," Elijah said soothingly into her hair. He rubbed the side of her face with his hand and pulled her close. They were riding together in the back seat of a limo. Elena honestly forgotten where Elijah had said he was taking her. Right now, it didn't matter. His presence was soothing enough to her. It was all she needed right now.

Elena buried the need to bite him and taste that powerful blood again. It was a feeling that was always there, in the back of her mind, demanding it's need be forfilled. Soon, it would overwhelm her again. Then, Elena didn't know what she was going to do when she again wanted to kill the one person that was capable of helping her.

And she had just murdered his own brother and he was here helping her. "Elijah, you shouldn't be doing this," Elena whispered, sitting her head on his lap, enjoying his closeness and his touches. "What if I want more?"

Elijah bent towards her and kissed her cheek. "You will always want more, you will always lust for the blood, Elena," He told her softly. "And you will soon do anything to get it."

"But," She broke off, sitting up in his arms. "But I don't want to kill you, Elijah. You've done nothing but try and help me. All you have done is care and..."

"Love you," He finished, smiling as he enjoyed the soft eyes staring helplessly into his own.

"How can you love me? After what I've done..."

"Elena, I am far from being an innocent myself," He began softly. "Klaus, he would have stopped at nothing to use you for his own gain... he was my brother and I had hoped to save him, but ... it was an impossible task to hope for..."

Elena looked away, feeling haunted by Klaus's last words to her. He could have loved her... She had really believed him, but had killed him anyway and had enjoyed it. Elena wondered if she would ever be able to share his last words to her with Elijah and not feel guilt of some kind.

And what she had just done to Stefan... someone she was supposed to have cared about... someone she had possibily been falling in love with... would he ever forgive her for leading him to bed in effort to kill him? Could he possibly begin to understand the strange and growing bond she had with Elijah? Elena looked to Elijah and kissed him. The kiss grew into something deeper and he pulled away first.

"I know," She began. "I shouldn't..."

"No," He breathed into her hair. "I don't think that we should give in just yet, Elena. You're not ready. We have to deal with this first."

"With me becoming... this..." Elena went on. "How..." Elena broke off and started to cry when she thought of Stefan and how this was going to change things between them. Just when she believed she had a handle on what she really wanted, her feelings for Stefan came rushing back to her.

"Elena, it's alright. You are young. It's alright," Elijah said soothingly.

"No, it doesn't excuse hurting people Elijah..."

"I'll be here for you," He replied, cutting her off. "And later, when you know what you want, I'll still be here."

Elijah couldn't bare to hear what her choice was yet. He knew she still had strong feelings for both of the Salvatores, and she was likely a little blind to how much exactly she cared for them. And now, all of this. What he and his family had inflicted upon her...

Between them, there was always an atttraction there. And for a dangerous moment, they had given into it. He still could feel the touch of her bare skin and what bliss he had felt in that moment with her. His feelings for Elena were so intense he could overlook the fact she had began this change in their relationship from her need to feed and lust to kill. Not born from the feelings she had bore for him during her life. Elijah would take any part of Elena that she was willing to give him. Even if he spent the rest of eternity trying to buy more time with her until her need to kill him finally consumed her.

"I love you," He breathed into her hair.

"Always and forever?" She pleaded.

"And back again," He said.

It would have to be enough. For now.

_**The End. **_

**Thanks to everyone that read and reviewed my story. I do hope to have my next story up soon. **


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